Spring Break
by Poisoned Scarlet
Summary: AU. Because despite all the women who offered themselves to him, he kept HER company that entire break.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Soul Eater.

**Spring Break  
>by. <strong>_Poisoned Scarlett_

"_YEAAAAH! Shake it this way, baby, let me see those weapons of mass masturbation!_" A man with electric blue hair styled in the outrageous shape of a star cackled into his megaphone, spraying a particularly busty brunette with sparkling sky blue eyes with a water gun. Beside him stood another man, more lean but no less handsome – he was more handsome, in Maka's eyes. His hair had been bleached white and his tan told Maka that he spent a lot of time in the sun. His black swim shorts fit him well and, Maka would add, the fact that he had lost his shirt somewhere added to his allure. He wore black sunglasses, grinning as he recorded the auburn-haired beauty with his camera. One hand in the pocket of his swim shorts, slightly slouched, and he was the epitome of cool and collected.

"_HYAHAHA! S__how me those tits, Arisa!"_ The guy screamed into the megaphone, aiming his water gun at her tits.

She winced when the woman tossed her head back in giddy giggles and flashed the roaring crowd shamelessly. Maka Albarn stood within the roiling crowd of sexually frustrated college students feeling more misplaced than ever before. She tried to blend in with their raucous yells and suggestive movements but stopped when she felt plain uncomfortable with the stares she received; like she was some slab of raw meat for a hungry pack of wolves. Her eyes sought her friend, standing on the roof of a nearby boat and chugging down a bottle with the experience Maka could only dream of. Her honey blonde hair was loose down her back, her black bikini barely restraining the massive jugs all the men around her roared to let loose.

Maka was disappointed when Liz grinned teasingly and cupped both her breasts, teasing her nipples and shaking them in the faces of lust-driven men tauntingly. This wasn't what Maka usually did for fun but Spring Break was being hosted in her town this year and Liz had eagerly wanted to attend. Truth be told, Spring Break was more of an orgy for all the sexually deprived than an honest-to-god break from all the studying. It was a chance to marvel all the beautiful bodies and sexy moves that women – and men – had been dying to show for only too long. It was that one time of the year where everything exploded; both sexually and party-wise.

Call her a prude or old-fashioned but Maka didn't think that sleeping with strangers – while completely hammered – was the right way to go about it. She thought a nice cruise down the coast was better; coupled with a good novel, a fresh jug of Margaritas, and enough sun to bathe in for hours. But perhaps her ideal vacationing trip sounded more dull than exciting? Liz had certainly pressed her lips together and made a noise of disapproval in the back of her throat when Maka told her.

"Oh, my God! This is so awesome!" A nearby girl squealed in delight. Her glittering caramel eyes met Maka's and while her smile was as bright as the sun, Maka's was more of an uneasy grimace. The crowd swelled and writhed with the pounding music and soon Maka was met with a pair of women grinding against each other; a couple indulging in each other, oblivious to the lewd stares they received: the mans hand shoved in the woman's bikini bottoms plainly while she kissed his neck.

The blue-haired prick with the water gun, identified as DJ Black Star, was now openly exchanging saliva with the auburn-haired bombshell.

The white-haired model with the sunglasses was leaning against one of the rails on the yacht, still filming but managing to look bored as he did.

Liz was pressed up against some hunk that was starting to tan nicely under the bright sun; making his stark black hair, stripped curiously with three white lines running horizontally, all the more noticeable.

And Maka just took another drink of her beverage. She was dressed for the part: clad in a coral pink string bikini that tied around her neck, matched with equally thin bottoms she'd tied a wrap around in an effort to keep her last shreds of modesty, Liz had made certain she was ready for Spring Break. Her hair was pulled up in a high pony tail, bangs of ash blond falling lightly down her emerald eyes. But despite her confident outfit, she felt less than so.

She didn't like feeling so exposed. It went against everything her mother taught her. Easy girls like the ones her father chased after, her mother had sneered, were the bane of a true woman. Perhaps a little harsh but Maka certainly wasn't very proud when she saw all of these gorgeous women, clad in skimpier bikinis than her, dancing to wild beats with their hair loose and water dripping down each contour of themselves; exploiting themselves to all these sex-hungry men. It was almost embarrassing how easily they gave themselves away.

She took another drink.

Liz wasn't on the roof of the yacht anymore. Maka didn't want to know where that man had taken her.

DJ Black Star was chugging down more alcohol, roaring something into the mic. There was already a slur to his words and it was only four in the evening.

The silver-haired model with the sunglasses was smirking now, for some reason. Maka brought her drink up to her mouth but paused when she noticed the camera aimed at her. She creased a brow when he didn't move it away. She couldn't tell if he was looking at her with the sunglasses. That's when a girl bumped into her, dumping some of her beer on Maka's chest. When she looked, she saw the girl had lost her top somewhere. So the model _hadn't_ been looking at her, Maka bristled, hating the repugnant stink of beer she now reeked of.

"Excuse me," Maka ground out. "I said, excuse me!" She shoved the plastered girl away and continued to push her way through the crowd. This was ridiculous! What the _hell_ was she doing there, with all these morons? She didn't even _like_ this type of beer! Maka tossed the cup in a nearby trash bin and stalked to where Liz had left her convertible. This was _her_ Spring Break, too, and she sure as hell wasn't spending it standing around in the middle of a sex-fest, hoping she'd get away with being invisible long enough not to get humped by someone….

She dug around through the trunk, hauling out an old gym bag. She had everything she needed to have fun in there! Maka checked one of the smaller pockets and grinned. Bingo. She also had the keys to her fathers boat and it was _all_ hers for the next week! Although her papa didn't know that yet and neither did her law-abiding mother, for the matter.

Maka hurried back to the ramp that led to where the crowd was centered, searching the grounds for a familiar head of sandy blond. Liz was gone, definitely, but she'd be extremely angry if Maka left without telling her. After all, Liz was older than her by three years: her mama was counting on Liz to keep her safe and the last thing Maka needed was to have Liz rush back to Kami, her mother, when she couldn't find her and meekly confess everything that had gone down. Her mama was quite protective of her and would lock her up in her room for the rest of forever if she found out where she was right now. Maka withheld another sigh, shading her eyes with her hand.

A wolf whistle made her look right and Maka rolled her eyes and went back to searching for her friend. Another stupid man looking for some fun. Typical.

"Liz!" Maka suddenly shouted, waving a hand at the woman who was clinging to the same guy she'd been laughing with on the roof. "Liz! Over here!"

The guy noticed her waving and tapped Liz on the shoulder. The woman's eyes gleamed when they landed on Maka and she quickly made her way to her, her breath reeking of alcohol. The sweat coating her body made Maka think just what her friend had really been up to when she embraced her happily.

"Makaaaa!" Liz laughed and gestured for the man to step closer. "Kid! Kid, this is my best friend, Maka! Come say hi, don't be shy! She doesn't bite! _Much!_"

"Liz!" Maka hissed. But when Kid approached, Maka shifted her expression to one of friendliness and offered a hand. "Hello, Maka Albarn, nice to meet you."

"Kid, pleasure to meet your acquaintance," he greeted politely. He seemed much more serious now that she got a good look at him. From far away, she'd thought him to be another typical douche bag who was in it for the fuck. But now that he was so close, Maka saw that he was in the same boat as her: forced into this cesspool of alcohol and sex and unable to do anything about it. Luckily, he'd gotten _something_ out of it, unlike her…

"Now that we got the intro's outta' the way, let's go _party!"_ Liz screamed, earning a few hoots in return.

"Um, about that—!"

"Ah, ah! No buts, Maka!" Liz warned, shaking her head. Their cheeks pressed together when she hugged her and Liz promised: "I'm gonna' find you a nice, sexy, man to tire you out! You're gonna' learn a whole new meaning to the phrase_ working out!"_

Instantly, Maka paled. Her mama would know if she did something bad because how could she _not_ know? She was a mom. She'd know instantly. And although Maka could care less if her papa found out – being as he had no better track record – her mama was a completely different story. There would be hell to pay and Maka was already breaking the rules by being here. So she did the only thing she could think of: lie.

"My mama's looking for me!"

Liz instantly sobered. She knew her mother too well. "Oh, shit. Where is she? Is she _here_ here?"

"I-I saw her by the parking lot when I went to get my things! She probably knows I'm here!" Maka lied.

"Fuck! Fuck, _fuck!_" Liz cursed. Kid looked between the two uneasily.

"It's okay, Liz! Just, um, do you drink?" She asked Kid, who looked startled at being addressed but shook his head.

"I do occasionally but I'm not currently intoxicated."

Maka was surprised by the amount of class in his voice. Certainly not a usual Spring Breaker, _d__efinitely_ brought along against his will.

"Do you mind driving Liz back home later?" Maka asked, hesitantly. "I can understand if it's too much to ask for—!"

"Oh! That's a great idea! You can take my car back to your house before your mom even knows what happened!" Satisfied with how things worked out, Liz turned to Kid and smiled pleasantly. Kid looked at her for a moment before chuckling out something that sounded like a yes. "Ugh, your mom is such a fun-killer, Maka! And the party hasn't even started!" Liz steamed.

"Sorry, Liz. It was great while it lasted, though. I got that tan I wanted!" Maka smiled weakly and after a few more words, watched them walk back to the yacht. Apparently, it belonged to Kid. Liz had sure hit jackpot, she would be bragging all year about this. Glad she was off of Liz's radar for the evening, Maka trotted back to the boardwalk that would lead her down a series of walkways to the boats. Sure, she would be alone on the boat, but it was better than spending it drunk and flashing your goodies at a random camera! Internet fame had never sounded all that fun, anyway.

"Hey, Maka!" someone called out to her excitedly. "Maka! I didn't know you were here!"

"Oh, Tsugumi," Maka smiled at the younger girl, who ran up to her with a huge smile.

"What are you doing all the way over here? The party is _that_ way!" the younger girl beamed at her role model.

Maka frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "Aren't you still in high school?"

"I'm a senior!" She defended, feebly.

"Go home, Tsugumi, you shouldn't be in a place like this until you're twenty one!" Maka grabbed her shoulder and nudged her towards town. "Go have some ice-cream or go to the beach. It's a hot day today."

"Or she can come with us and have some real fun!" Anya, Tsugumi's friend, snobbily cut in. Maka twitched at the sound of her haughty voice. "Just because you can't doesn't mean she can't, either!"

"I'm just giving her some sound advice," Maka bit back. "It's up to her whether she takes it or not. I already warned you, Tsugumi," Maka looked at the girl, who looked reluctant to go to the party now. "But if you're going anyway then just be careful. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you," Maka smiled at her and excused herself, shaking her head when Anya loudly announced they would have the best time of their lives.

_Or the worst time, _Maka thought as she shook out the keys from her bag. She stopped dead when she saw the silver-haired model from before leaning against her father's boat. It was purely coincidental – he looked more lost in his own thoughts, his shoulder leaning against the lightly rocking boat as he stared at the sea. His camera was hanging off his neck, both hands in his pockets this time. Maka definitely didn't take him as the loner type: he looked right at home in the midst of the festivities –snarky smirk, killer bod, designer sunglasses and all.

She swallowed the sudden dryness in her mouth. "H…hey! Hey! You, with the white hair!" She called and he finally turned, raising an irritated brow. "Do you mind finding another boat to lean on?"

His brow further raised at her bossiness. "This one's fine."

"Except I don't think you'd like it very much when I pull forward and you get chewed up by the propellers," she flatly said.

He gave her a candid stare before he scoffed and moved away, watching her kneel down to untie the boat. She shook out her keys, finding the right one and gripped the ladder on the side. She made her way up the boat swiftly, swinging a leg over the top and landing inside with a satisfying thump. When she peered over the side, she found him leant against another boat; back to gazing at the sea with that same detached interest. Strange, to walk away from a party when they'd be only too-happy to have him join in on the fun.

"Hey, what're you looking at?" Maka finally asked, leaning over the handrail. She rested her chin on her arm when he looked up. "I don't see anything but water."

He smiled, faintly. "Then you aren't looking hard enough."

She frowned and looked out to sea again. "I still don't see anything—oh, um…" She faltered, watching a boat cruise by with a man fucking a woman on the roof. There were others at the helm doing nothing less innocent. "Aren't you supposed to have your camera out for that?"

His brows furrowed and when he looked, he cracked up with laughter. The sudden spark of emotion caught her off-guard. He had a really nice smile and laugh. If he smiled more often, he'd probably be more approachable. "Not _that_, you idiot, over there!"

"Where?" Maka squinted.

"Over there!"

"I still don't see anything!"

"Guess only I can see it."

"You set me up for that!" She accused. He shot her a toothy grin. She looked back to where the spring break party was being held by the pier. She could barely hear the music over the tides but she could clearly see the clusters of people walking to the party, all ready to meet new people and get shit-faced in the process. "Why aren't you over there with your friends? You're friend with that Kid guy, right?"

"Kid? You know him?" He asked, shading his eyes with his hand to look up at her.

"Yeah, I left my friend in his care," Maka said and he snickered.

"He'll take it seriously. Trust me, he'll kill all her fun by the end of the night."

"That's good," Maka smiled cheekily when he arched a brow "She needs someone to keep her from doing something she'll regret. I thought I could but she's too much for me to handle on my own."

"Is that why you left or because that chick dumped a can of beer all over you?" He asked with open amusement and Maka was startled. So he _had_ been watching her through the camera after all! That brightened her mood considerably.

"Not really. I just don't like… being there," she grimaced. "I don't like big parties like that. A lot can go wrong and there's a lot of police officers right now…"

"Here I thought you were just tired of random guys hitting on you," he smirked and Maka pinked.

"For your information, no one did!"

He choked back laughter. "Then that's just sad."

"I – you – shut up!" Maka sputtered, fuming when he laughed harder. After a moment of two, she grumbled: "Are you just going to stand there until nightfall?"

"Maybe," he smirked. "What's it to you?"

"Because you can climb aboard with me and do the exact same thing, only with a better view!" She offered with childlike naiveté. Perhaps it was the fact that, despite the bikini that fit her slim body like a sleeve, there was a glint of something so purely innocent that made him take the risk of agreeing. Normally, he'd reject such invitations. Because either the girl wanted to get laid or something equally extreme. It wasn't his style to go fucking everything with legs and a vagina, unlike Black Star, who'd probably be shoving a list of women who'd signed his fuck-book in his face later on tonight – or tomorrow, or the next day, or whenever he saw him again.

"Yeah, sure. By the way, the names Soul."

"Maka."

"Cool," he said. "Sounds foreign."

"It's Japanese. My moms Japanese," Maka elaborated and watched Soul perk up.

"Sweet! Does that mean you know how to make sushi?"

"Don't tell me you actually _like_ sushi?" Maka balked. Soul climbed aboard swiftly, taking in the surroundings as he said:

"Yeah, I like raw fish."

"Ew!"

"You don't? Weirdo. You live right next to the beach, how could you not like fish?"

"How could you like eating anything _raw?"_ Maka shuddered. "I like miso soup, though! And ramen!"

"The instant kind?"

"No, you idiot!" Maka laughed and his smile grew a bit. She had a very sweet, very kind, laugh. "The _real_ kind!"

"Because there was never any _other_ type..."

"There isn't," Maka giggled.

And the next few hours were spent surprisingly sober and clean.

She had pulled up a chaise, fixed the umbrella to shade her, and pulled out a thick novel from her bag. That was _before_ she went down into the cabin to the kitchen to fix herself up a virgin Margarita. He, on the other hand, got a can of beer from the mini-fridge and leaned his arms against the railing, gazing off at the ocean again. It had gone on like that for a while – Maka flipping through another page in her book, Soul watching the sun fall lower and lower on the skyline – before Soul decided he'd gotten enough of a tan and walked back to her. He pulled up another chaise beside her and sat back, stifling a yawn.

"So, was this all you planned on doing?"

Maka looked up after finishing another sentence. "Yeah. Liz wanted me to go spend my Spring Break with the others but since that didn't work out, I went back to my original plan. Which is this!" She chirped. "I'm actually having more fun here than out there!"

He smirked a bit. "You're so boring. You actually find _this_ fun?"

Defensively, she said: "Yes! So what?"

"Nothing… you just didn't strike me as the type," he shrugged.

"I didn't?"

"Nah, not with _that_," he flicked his eyes back to her, the mile-long legs with the barest hints of a tan. Her curves were more subtle, more for discovering by running your hands up her slim waist to her perky breasts. Not normally what he went for, all things considered, but this girl worked it quite well.

Maka groaned and drew her legs up, hiding her nose in the book. "That's what I was hoping to avoid!" She lowered her book a bit, hoping he wouldn't catch her blush. "I don't usually dress like this…"

He stretched and said, loftily: "Yeah, now that I think about it, you look like a nerd. I mean, who has fun _reading?_ That's so uncool and boring—!"

"MAKA CHOP!"

Soul was lucky he was so far away from the edge of the boat.

* * *

><p>The next day, she was sitting on the edge of the boardwalk sometime during midday. She had a small piece of rope in her hands that she was trying to knot in the way her mama taught her before she allowed her to get the keys to her papa's boat. Her mama said it'd do her well to know how to properly knot things, especially if she was going to consider owning a boat when she was older.<p>

Maka knew how to tie various knots already, having observed enough from her times spent with her papa aboard his boat, but this new knot was particularly challenging. She just couldn't seem to get it right. She ignored the Spring Breakers that were – unsurprisingly – continuing their beer-fest and scoping out any willing participants to join their orgy. Maka had wisely steered clear from that side of town, taking a longer road that would lead her to the dock. She wasn't surprised when she didn't find her father on the boat, where he _promised_ he'd be. Lately, her papa went out earlier and lied to her mama about where he really went. He also got back much later than usual.

Maka had a sick feeling he was having the time of his life with the frenzied college students down by the pier.

Maka hoped her mama didn't find out.

She didn't want to hear another fight break out between them because of it.

"What're you doing?"

Maka jumped and turned, finding Soul wandering to her with his hands shoved deeply in his pocket. Once more, there was a camera hung around his neck. Today he wore navy blue trunks matched with an unbuttoned black shirt. He wore nothing underneath that. She did her best not to stare. She thought she did a good job, at least until the wind blew and his shirt flapped open.

"T-tying knots!" Maka awkwardly smiled, holding up the piece of rope while her eyes darted to the boardwalk.

"…You're kidding, right?"

"No, why would I?" She glared when he laughed. "I'm not tying knots in the conventional sense. I'm tying specific knots. It may come in handy when I own a boat and my mama showed me one…but I can't get it right." She tried once more, aware of his approaching figure until he stood inches from her; watching her from overhead. She sighed in frustration when it didn't come out as tight as it was supposed to. "Damn it."

"Wait, do it again."

She looked up, sliding her gaze past the lean, smooth, skin of his stomach, his sculpted chest, until she reached his lazy burgundy eyes. "Do you know how?" She did as she was told, however, hoping to get it this time.

"Not really. My brother did this a lot, though. Said it was relaxing or something."

"Tying knots?" Maka giggled.

"I know. Crazy, isn't it?" Soul grinned, kneeling next to her. "I'm the only sane one in the family."

"That's hard to believe," Maka mumbled, and laughed when he cut her a dry look. "It's just a little weird when you distance yourself from everyone. The party is back there but you're always here," Maka elaborated. "Being a loner on purpose is weird!"

"You missed a loop."

"Huh?"

"There," Soul pointed to the loose knot, reaching over. "You missed a loop, that's why it falls apart. Do it again…..and stop, right there. Pull the string through there." Soul watched her follow his instructions and he rose his eyes to her face. She looked like such a child, with big green eyes that sparkled under sunlight and alabaster skin so smooth he wondered if it would ruin if he touched it. His fingers twitched on his knees. He wanted to touch her cheek, just to see if it was as soft as he believed it to be; if it would ruin under the softest of touches. He wondered if he could get away with it if he tried before he shot the idea down. Of course he couldn't. But why the contemplation in the first place? Being such a sappy romantic was definitely not cool, he chided himself.

"You were right!" She exclaimed suddenly, and those green eyes became hard to look away from. They were a translucent green, absorbing the light around them like crystals. "I did it! Look, I did it! Thanks a lot, Soul! I didn't even know I was missing a loop! My mama would've made fun of me for not seeing it earlier!" She laughed and he found himself smiling back.

He thought about Black Star's offer to hang out by the pier with some hot girls in twenty minutes. He had been on his way there when he spotted Maka sitting lonesome by her father's boat.

"Now I can take the boat out for a ride!" Maka cheered.

"What, your mom said you had to get the knot right before you could?" Soul jeered.

She puffed her cheeks out, pinking a little. His smile twitched into a wicked grin. "N-no…"

He coughed out "loser" but he was sure he didn't fool her for her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Hey, you willing to give me a ride to the other side of the beach? I wanna' pick up some seashells for my bro," Soul smoothly asked although he knew he wouldn't do it once he was there. His brother hated the sea and all its accessories with a passion. Bad experience when he was a boy, Wes Evans told him every time he asked. But Soul knew it was because he was afraid of big bodies of water – more specifically, he was afraid of drowning. Because their cousins were bastards and they liked messing with them in the worst ways.

"Sure!" Maka beamed. He grinned.

He decided he could always hang out with Black Star later.

* * *

><p>The sun was beating down on them as the boat drifted upon the sea currents idly. It was a hot day today, with the sky a plain sheet of deep blue; as if reflecting the blue of the ocean. He would swear all of the clouds had been swallowed up by some supernatural force: there wasn't a prick of anything in the sky. He wasn't used to such sights. He was used to a sky smudged with pollution and airplanes and helicopters and big, fluffy, white clouds of heat.<p>

He liked it here.

But maybe it wasn't because of the chill atmosphere – although that was _part_ of the reason – but because of a certain someone who was perking his interests to an uncool degree.

"You've _never _tanned?"

"Nope."

"Seriously? You've lived here for half your life and you've _never _gone out to tan?"

"No, but Liz does it a lot," Maka shifted uncomfortably, her legs hanging off the side of the boat. She leaned forward and rested her arms and chin on the metal rails, watching Soul lean back on his palms beside her. "It's not that I've never tanned, it's that if I try…I burn, not tan," she sighed.

"Ever heard of sunblock? It's the creation of the century."

"For your information, I _have!_" Maka shot him a look. "It doesn't work! I have to get the highest SPF and then I don't even tan!" Maka sighed, kicking out a foot. "That's why I never tried again. After that horrible sunburn, I don't even want to think about it."

"No wonder you're so white. You can't handle tanning."

She gave him a look. "Not all of us can tan like you, Soul."

"Only _cool_ people can tan," he drawled, grinning a grin that made Maka want to smack him clear off the boat.

"Thanks for admitting I'm not part of the idiot brigade."

"You're just jealous."

"Of what?" Maka snorted. "Your obvious failure to be a productive member of society?"

"No. The fact that you can't chill with cool kids like me."

"Then what am I doing right now?" Maka challenged.

"We're having a _discussion_."

"So this is _not_ hanging out?"

His lip twitched. "Nope."

"You _sure?_" Maka stifled giggles in her arm.

"Positive!" Soul grinned back. "We're having a civilized discussion in which you realize just how much _cool_ you're lacking in your life and you adopt my ideals and become a better person."

"And stupid like you, right?"

"Yeah - wait a second, shut up!"

Maka would have spat out her drink if she had been drinking something. Instead, she laughed hard enough to bring tears to her eyes and Soul joined her eventually, their laughter echoing down the gently lapping waters of the bright, blue, sea.

* * *

><p>She was back again two days later, standing there among the mass of frenzied college students. This time she wore a simple halter top over her bikini and she tied a wrap securely on her hips to keep her modesty. There was nothing in her hands today because she needed to return home sober and hopefully not smelling like something illegal. Because she knew there was a small cluster of people behind her passing a joint. The smell was enough to make her stomach roll.<p>

But it was the evening, she expected this, however there _were_ more people than she expected there to be. It was also hotter than she thought it'd be but that was in part because Liz had convinced her to dance a bit. She had fun there, with a sober Liz and Patty, her sister, and even a couple of other girls who looked relatively fine. But then the men had squeezed their way into their circle and Maka had faltered when an arrogant blonde with crystal blue eyes and a small smirk sidled up beside her. That was just an accident waiting to happen, she'd firmly told herself, and pulled back before things could get any worse.

Men could be so shameless.

"Hey!"

Maka stole a look beside her but saw no one. She stepped away from an incoming pairs tracks, able to catch a whiff of beer while she was at it.

"Yo! Maka! Over here!"

Maka turned this time, searching for the source, and surprisingly found Soul. She felt a twinge of jealousy when she saw a girl standing next to him, clad in a scant green bikini. Her pink hair was cut to a short bob and she tossed her a look of annoyance for distracting him from her. Soul waved her over and when she shook her head and turned back, she was a little surprised when he walked right next her a few minutes later.

"What the hell? Why're you standing over here all alone? Where's Liz?" Soul frowned, holding two cups. He handed her one silently and she reluctantly took it.

"Is this alcohol?" Maka asked, tentatively. She took a small sniff and cringed.

"Yeah, it's a vodka tonic."

"I can't," Maka shook her head.

"C'mon, Maka, don't be uncool. It's fucking Spring Break. You can't spend it reading the entire time!" Soul sighed, exasperated.

"No, I mean, I _can't_ because my mom wants me back sober! If she smells this on me, I'm screwed!" Maka scowled, punching his shoulder for his jab at her hobby. She looked at her cup with some longing. "I could use a cup or two right now…"

He contemplated this for a second. "When do you have to get back?"

"By nine."

"Sweet," he smirked. He bumped cups with her. "Drink up. You got five hours. We'll get another two and then hit the beach. That way, you'll get your fix and when you get back, you'll smell like sea water and the effects should've worn off by then."

Maka blinked, more than impressed by his plan. She took a drink, however, and he grinned in victory. "I get the feeling you've done this before…"

"Only too many times, Maka. Let the me teach you the tricks of the trade," He smirked wickedly and grabbed her elbow to lead her towards the makeshift bar by the sides. "Is Liz with you?"

"No, I can't find her. I lost her somewhere by the stage!" Maka shouted over the noise of laughter and music. When Maka looked back, she found the pink haired girl chatting up some other guy. "Are you sure it's okay to leave your friends like this?"

Soul glanced behind him, to the pink haired girl and the others who milled around and turned back, not looking at all concerned. "Yeah. It's cool."

She didn't quite want to understand the relief that relaxed her shoulders as he led her to the shoreline.

* * *

><p>She <em>told<em> him this would happen. But did he ever listen to her? No. It'd do him some good to listen to her every once in a while though! Given, he usually did, but only to unimportant things, not the things that _actually_ mattered. Honestly, what was she doing here? She should be at home, snuggled under her bedsheets. Instead, cold sea air made her shiver and she was here caring for an idiot whose much too cool for his own good…

"Fuck my life…" Soul groaned pitifully, arm strewn over his eyes. The sun was much too bright. The cool weather felt too cold on his feverish skin. He expected this fully but he forgot just how painful it was to sail through it. At least Maka was kind enough to watch over him during this time – lord knew that Black Star wouldn't give two fucks and Kid would dump him on his bed so he could sleep it off.

Like usual.

Soul thought it was nice to have someone caring for you – even if she was still pissed at you for pulling such a stupid stunt in the first place.

"I _told_ you not to drink those shots of tequila and scotch!" Maka snapped, sitting on her thigh beside his head. "You promised you'd stop after I left! Obviously you _didn't!"_

"You're so _loud_…" He rose a hand to his mouth, swallowing down the urge to vomit. They sat – or more like Soul _laid_ and Maka sat – on the boardwalk early that morning. Maka had immediately come to his aid when Liz texted her saying Soul had drank past his limit and ended up passed out behind the couch. Maka had had the honor of dragging his hung over ass out of Kid's yacht by the ankle until he woke up and walked (more like dragged himself) the rest of the way.

"What were you doing drinking so much anyway?"

"Black Star said I couldn't outdrink him," Soul mumbled, eyes shut. His head hurt. His mouth felt as dry as cotton. His stomach felt empty and sick. This was one bad hang over. He shouldn't have mixed drinks like his friend did. "Turns out I _can't_." He swore lightly under his breath and rolled on his side, pinching the bridge of his nose. At least he was out of the yacht.

He didn't think he could stand the rocking motion in this state.

But the salty, fishy, smell of the sea was making things worse for his upset stomach.

"You're a dumbass for even thinking a drinking contest was okay without anyone spotting you!" She sighed, aggravated. He didn't have it in him to snap back a witty reply like usual. Maka softened her frown. Then he felt fingers thread through his hair forgivingly and the action was so soothing he actually leaned toward her touch. Her palm was blessedly cool when it pressed against his scratchy cheek, his damp forehead, and brushed away stray silver hairs over his eyes. "Do you think you can stand?"

"No…"

"Do you want me to bring you some water?"

"You got any Gatorade?" Soul asked weakly, and when she stood up with a happy yes, he was disappointed her touch was taken way with it. Again, he thought it was nice to have someone watch over you while you tried to stave off puking your guts out.

And he was not at all disappointed when she brought back a bottle of Gatorade and he took a drink and subsequently emptied his stomach into the ocean.

Because afterwards, boy, did he feel _great._

* * *

><p>She liked it here, with him, every day for the remainder of Spring Break. She liked their banter, their arguments, the way their differences somehow brought them closer together and the way their similarities only knotted their friendship tighter than the knots her mother taught her. She liked how he was so easy to talk to. She liked how simple he could make a situation, a discussion, an ideal, <em>anything<em>, without losing the weight of it. She liked how completely easy it _could_ be to put her trust in him although there was a part of her, the part that desperately clung to her self-preservation, that refused to cross that line she was toeing already.

They're both faced with that line but neither could seem to muster up the courage to cross it.

She could feel it, practically _see_ it – with the way she tried to quiet her loud laughter at something he said and the way he hid his grins behind his hands, or rubbed the back of his neck, or turned away when she caught him staring. They were dancing around the subject of their attraction and Maka didn't know how much longer she could keep this up before she tripped. Because, certainly, a friendship was not possible with this man – not when her heart sounded so alive in her chest around him, and not when she couldn't seem to get enough of being around him.

"Lemonade with an extra slice of lemon, right?" Soul called from the kitchen.

"Put two in it this time!"

"At this rate, you're gonna' burn a hole through your stomach," Soul commented as he climbed up the steps, bringing her the glass she asked for with two slices thrown in. "I'm not cleaning it up."

"If you think this is going to bring me down, you obviously don't know me!" Maka confidently stated and took a drink. A pleasant shudder ran down her body and she squeezed her eyes shut. Her tongue licked the sour liquid from her lips, teeth grinding together. The sensation was eagerly welcomed. She liked the sour taste of lemon and he had made sure to make it as sour as possible. When her eyes opened, he was turned away from her, gazing out at the ocean again.

"You really like that, huh?"

"What? Lemonade?"

"Yeah. Sour stuff."

"Not everything. I don't like those sour patch kid candies," Maka offered. Soul rose a brow at her. "I think it's just lemon. I really like it. It's sour but the after-taste is what I really look forward to," she touched the hinge of her jaw. "The only downside is my taste buds are out of control afterwards."

"I bet," he lopsidedly smiled. "Hey, can I have some?"

"Of – this?" Maka hastily corrected. If he caught her stumble, he didn't let it show. "Here."

He only managed a small sip before he flinched away, shaking his head of the intensely sour taste. "Fuck, that's bad!" He rubbed his aching mouth, definitely not trying that again. "How can you take a whole drink like it's nothing?"

"I don't know. I've always liked lemon," Maka repeated, shrugging. She took a drink, aware of his stare. Another shudder rushed down her arms, raising goose bumps. It felt nice. "I mean, how can you like sushi?"

Soul shrugged. "It tastes good."

"It's gross. It tastes weird, it feels weird, it even _smells_ weird…"

"Yeah, well, you're weird."

"Says the guy with white hair."

"And the girl who looks twelve—NO!" Soul shouted in alarm when she whipped out a novel. "You said you'd stop if I didn't drink today!"

"I lied!" She smirked and laughed when he took five steps away from her with his arms braced to cover sensitive areas on his anatomy. "I'm just kidding, Soul. Jeez, Mr. Cool Guy is afraid of a book?"

"_Your_ books," Soul corrected. "I didn't even know you can _hurt_ someone with them until I met you!"

"You learn something new everyday!"

Soul dropped his arms and shook his head, affectionately saying: "You're such a nerd..."

And Maka realized something important in that moment.

When she looked up from her glass, his eyes were on her, and the calm gaze reflected told her that this was something he had already contemplated. She wondered just how sharp he really was despite his uncanny skill of coming off as any other degenerate.

It's as if he read her mind: his eyes twinkled and a grin lifted his lips.

"Wanna' go for a swim?" He nodded to the side of the boat. "Anchor her down and let's go."

"There's sharks in these waters!" Maka warned, halfheartedly.

"Sharks can't go against someone as cool as me," Soul threw over his shoulder, already sliding off his shirt. Her eyes ran down his strong back appreciatively. Her hand tightened around her glass. "And you know as well as I do that's a bunch of bullshit the cops came up with to keep everyone outta' the water."

"With good reason – it's easier to control them on dry land than inside the water!"

He finally turned to her, stripped down to his black swim shorts. She kept her eyes steady on the spot between his eyes. She needed to stay focused.

"You really gotta' let loose, Maka," Soul drawled, sounding too much like Liz yet much more convincing. "You can't let books and school consume all your time. You'll regret it when you're older."

"And you would know because…?"

He was quiet for a moment. But when he did speak, there was a forced quality to his words, "my dad," and he didn't elaborate because at that moment he swung a leg over to the ladder and slid down, a splash following.

Then she remembered something important.

"SOUL, WAIT! I FORGOT TO TIE DOWN THE BOAT!"

Maka didn't ask him to wash the dishes this time.

It was the _least_ she could do for nearly leaving him stranded in the middle of nowhere.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Because I have yet to see some spring break stories on this site, maybe this will prompt some authors to try? Then again, it may just be me overlooking things again lol

_Scarlett._


	2. Chapter 2

**Spring Break  
>by. <strong>_Poisoned Scarlett_

"Soul, hold up, man. We gotta' talk!" Black Star sighed, giving him a look of disappointment. He was sprawled on the couch clad in only his swim shorts, tapping his fingers on the armrest and looking every bit like a spoiled prince. He even had a jug of lemonade in his reach and a glass of it sat by his hand. Soul wouldn't be surprised if the lemonade was spiked with something. "What's up, _seriously?_"

"What're you talking about?" Soul asked, hand already curled around the doorknob.

Black Star gave an exaggerated sigh. "Today's the _last day_ of Spring Break and you're not even gonna' stay for the ultimate goodbye party! Hell, I haven't even _seen_ you this whole week! Where the hell have you been? Crashing some other party or something? And why wasn't I invited?"

"What's it matter where I've been?"

"Cuz this is like our _only_ time to relax!" Black Star stressed, looking scandalized he hadn't realized this yet. "So?"

He gave him a flat look.

"Argh! Fine, tell me _one_ thing you've done to have fun!" Black Star demanded.

Soul was getting frustrated. "I've drunk enough that my livers gonna' need to get replaced if I don't stop soon." He tapped his foot impatiently when Black Star gave him a thumbs down. "Fuck, what else do you want me to say? That I've banged over twenty chicks already?"

Black Star waggled his brows suggestively and Soul sighed again, aggravated. He was _officially_ late now! He'd have to run to the dock if he wanted to get out with a minor scolding from her. Or, worse, get left behind and have to spend it doing something boring, like entertaining this moron here. "Look, can we talk about this later? Like, after Spring Break? I'm late."

"For?"

"Stuff," Soul didn't bother to elaborate and dashed out of the yacht; running past Kid, who was thankfully on the phone. He pushed his way through a crowd of party-crazy students until he made it to the boardwalk, where he continued down to the usual boat. Along the way, Soul spotted a man with shaggy red hair speaking with Liz, who looked more than a little guilty, and he wondered just what she'd done this time. Shaking his head, Soul continued to the docking area he and Maka had been meeting for the past few days.

Soul let out a breath of relief when he saw the boat was still docked; a distant figure walking around the top. His footfalls alerted her of his presence because by the time he was grabbing hold of the ladder, Maka was peeking out from the top and scowling down at him.

"What took you so long? I almost left without you!"

"Chill, Maka! I was just held back by someone, that's all," Soul grunted as he hopped aboard.

"Does _everything_ you say have to be so secretive?" Maka laughed over her shoulder, more than used to his evasive replies. They'd gotten on her nerves like nothing else in the beginning but she figured he just wasn't the show-and-tell type. He certainly didn't strike her as the type once she got his basic personality down. However, it made for good teasing.

"For you information," Soul began, matter-of-factly, "Black Star was asking me where I've been this whole time." He walked toward the wheel, whistling at Maka for the keys and catching them when she tossed them at him.

"You mean you haven't told him?"

"He never asked." Soul shrugged at her disbelief. "What? It's none of his business what I do in my spare time. Besides, he never said anything about me having to be there to film his idiocy. That's Kid's job," he smirked.

"You were doing a pretty good job in the beginning..." Maka muttered under her breath but he caught it.

"What? Jealous?" He mocked and laughed when Maka growled and threw her wrap at him. He pulled it off his face, watching her sit cross-legged once more on the chaise and squirt sunblock onto her hand. She was efficient in the way she applied lotion on herself without any help unlike some girls he knew. She had amazing flexibility as well, as she reached her upper back easily. "Huh, I can't hear you!"

"I'm not going to answer that," Maka bit out. She heard him approach her but she stayed the way she was; not even twitching in acknowledgement when he stood directly behind her.

"Why? Cuz it's true?" He taunted.

"No, because it's stupid. "

"That you were jealous?"

"No, the entire thing is stupid!"

"…Because you were jealous?"

"NO! Because YOU'RE stupid!" Maka shouted, finally looking up at him with searing moss-green eyes. She squeaked when his hand covered her eyes, his laughter making heat rise to her face as it so often did when she was around him. "Ugh! Soul, let me go! Your hand is sweaty! Ew!" She screamed when she nearly toppled over the side of the chaise, his laughter growing hysterical. "_You bastard_—SOUL!"

"Oh, shit—!"

"No – no, step back! Step b—ACK!" Maka squealed when her head collided with the floor. Soul leaned over her, grinning from ear to ear and looking every bit the ridiculous man she'd grown fond of. She kicked her feet at his chest angrily, squeaking when he caught her by the ankles and hauled her up in one pull. It was as if she was weightless: she was hung upside down without effort. She gasped when a hand slid down her thighs to grab her waist, heaving her further up. She felt red spread across her face when her legs parted, hanging off his broad shoulders by the knees. "L…Let go of me! What are you doing? S-Soul! Let me go, I'm going to fall!" Maka choked out, her squirming only amusing him ever the more.

"Quit moving around! Maka, wait—!"

She froze when she felt his breath right in-between her thighs; right where it wasn't supposed to be. This was just a pose that was _never_ supposed to be performed – much less with her, much less on her fathers boat, much less _anywhere_. But his hands never let her go and she shut her eyes as his breath continued to assault her dampening bikini shorts. Then she heard his chuckles; dark and sending thrills racing down her arms. "I told you to wait but you're always so impatient," Soul clucked his tongue in mock-admonishment. "You could've fallen and broken your neck or something."

"I could fall and break my neck right now," Maka forced out.

"Or not."

"Just let me down," she impatiently said. She heard him hum back contemplatively and grew even more nervous.

"Nah," he smirked and she growled.

"Soul, you have five seconds to let me down!"

"Starting now!" Soul cued mockingly.

"_Five_..._four_..._three_..." Maka swallowed as she slowed down to give him more time but he didn't show any signs of letting her go. "...O-one..." She sucked in a breath and her leg tightened around his neck when she felt his lips press against her center suddenly. Her breath hitched, her back arching and her fingers digging into the cushion of the chaise for support. "A-ah, Soul," she whimpered, an even louder moan tearing her throat when his tongue skirted around the edge of her bikini and found its way underneath. She ached with a desire that was barely relieved with each lick of his tongue. "Soul," she groaned, wanting to do _something _other than hang limply. "_Soul!_" she whined, and was both pleased and aggravated when his mouth left her throbbing core.

"What?"

"Let me go – !" She bumped back and felt something hard prod her lower neck. She had an idea of what it was. "The floor!" She demanded and Soul readily let her go, letting himself be shoved onto the chaise by her. He fumbled for the lever on the side, causing the backrest to slid completely flat behind him. He wouldn't be needing it: he needed to be lying down for this one. But before she could climb on top of him, he shook his head, pointing down south.

"Backwards, Maka," he smirked cunningly.

She stood there, uncertain, before he reached for her and pulled her closer. She swung her leg over his lap with her back to him and he gripped her thighs, pushing her forward toward his straining erection. But he wasn't too concerned with that at the moment, more focused on the prize before him as he went back to licking the ache that only became harder and harder to ignore. Maka gasped and gripped his shorts, sucking back moans. Her eyes fluttered closed and she mewed as he ravished her pussy. But she managed to regain some function in her arms and her fingers shakily pulled off his shorts unceremoniously, lidded eyes taking in his hard length before her mouth engulfed him. She heard his sharp gasp, joined by her own moan, as both suckled and licked and rubbed the areas of their body that burned for each other.

"Ah, ah – _ah_, god, _Soul_—!" Maka panted, digging her fingers up his shaft as her tongue licked his slick tip. With every bob of her head, it was followed by a rub of her hand and she could almost feel his release coming – even before his hips thrust into her mouth, sinking his cock so deep into her throat she gagged. She pulled back, sucking in breath, and swallowed him whole again and again until she heard his pained groan and felt his heaving breaths against her wet folds.

"That – is _not_ fair," Soul ground out. He spread her thighs even more, pulling back enough to take in her soaking pussy. He needed to step it up if he wanted to catch up with her. He smirked when he heard her choke up around his cock when his fingers began to slide inside of her.

"Mpfh!" She muffled out, her hand slapping down to grip his calve, her other hand desperately digging into the plastic edges of the chaise when he slipped his fingers inside of her. In retaliation, she sucked harder on his length – sliding her tongue over his overflowing tip in the way she learned made his thighs tense and his hips tremble with the force of holding back. Her teeth then scraped up and down his cock and that seemed to be all it took for soon he left his load in her mouth and his fingers sunk deep inside her as his mouth gave one last noisy suck. That was her undoing as well and she arched and cried out, the sound lost in the calming waves of the ocean.

His head fell back but he propped himself up on his elbows when she sat up and lifted a leg over him to face him. Hazy eyes met before mouths did, their tongues seeking each others as the heat began to build in their stomachs again. Her fingers ran through his surprisingly soft hair; not at all the bleach-damaged mess she had expected. But the thought was quickly forgotten when she felt his hot girth slip between them pressingly. Maka pulled him back and he gave the chaise one hard push, frowning when it creaked threateningly. It would break or something they tried it on the damn thing so his eyes sought another proper location and they came to rest on the gunwale of the boat.

"Over there," he motioned.

"Won't I fall back?" Maka asked, concernedly, but followed him to it.

"I'll make sure you don't," he promised, lifting her up on it and slipping between her legs as he should've days ago.

"Take this off while we're at it," Soul said, reaching behind her to pull the string to her bikini top. Maka had the decency to flush red when it fell down between them, exposing twin mounds perked in attention. She bit her lip when his mouth descended upon one of them, rolling her nipple between his tongue and teeth and making her toes curl.

"Mm, Soul," Maka sighed, lifting her legs up when his hand reached down to pull the second piece off. The cloth slid up toned, sleek, thighs, and his mouth left her breast enough to admire the way it was flung off her legs, leaving her bare and exposed to him like he'd wanted. His arousal was starting to become hard to ignore again. His hands mapped the contours of her body, every curve not going unnoticed by him as his mouth kissed her neck, her jaw and trailed up back to her parted, quivering, lips.

"Ready?" He shakily breathed, his fingers digging into her scalp. His chest felt so strong against her breasts, each heaving breath kindling the fire that ached between her thighs. "Maka?"

"Wait, do you have a condom?" Maka suddenly asked and Soul swore.

"Fuck, no, I don't." Soul wasn't stupid enough to take a risk. There was just too much that could go wrong and even though he was starting to really like this girl, there was no way he was going to risk knocking her up. That was honestly the last thing he needed at his age.

"No – wait, I know!" Maka pointed to the pack that was thrown carelessly by the bow of the boat. "That's papa's! There has to be some in there!"

"Uh, I know he's a womanizer and all _but_…"

"Trust me, there'll be some in there," Maka blew out an annoyed breath. "Now go get it before I change my mind!"

Soul did not hesitate again as he walked over to for the bag. Maka let her eyes drop down to his ass, the muscle that shaped them so wonderfully. She felt her fingers flex at the thought of touching it again. He turned and walked back with, bemused that she had been right after all.

"Told you!" she sang.

"I'm not gonna' ask why your old man would be carrying around a whole box of these," he waved a condom box at her dryly before taking one out, "That might kill the mood."

"I think it already did…"

"Then let me remind you why I got one in the first place," he purred and laughed lightly with her before captured her lips, not taking long in reigniting the fire that had been blown to a simmer during their searching.

Maka heard the pack crinkle and rip before she felt something slick and hot press against her folds. She let out a shuddery moan as she felt him tease her, rub against her engorged clit and rile her up again. That echo of pleasure seemed to come back, stronger than ever, urging her to reach that edge again. "Soul, do it!" Maka groaned, squeezing her thighs around his waist impatiently. "What are you waiting for?"

"Remember what I told you before?" Soul breathed hard in her ear. A hand gripped her hip. "About taking it cool?"

"I don't _care!_" Maka reached between them and grabbed his cock in her hand, earning herself a sharp hiss. "I've been waiting forever for this!"

"You have?" He sounded a little lost.

"_Soul!_ Focus!"

"Fine, jeez, but I'll remember that," he smirked out and she felt her lungs contract and never open again when he slid his length deep inside her. She was glad he didn't go in too fast for she had a hard time accommodating his girth. When had she last been with someone like this? At the moment, Maka could barely remember, but her body remembered perfectly and told her, shook and trembled with it, that it was _not_ the same as before. This was better, it seemed to scream as her back arched and a cry caught in her throat, this was _much_ better than whatever sex she'd had before.

Similarly, Soul felt her walls clench around him like a tempered vice. He felt like giving in the instant he slipped into her. The strength of her legs wrapped around him in a way that made him groan out her name, her walls so tight and impossibly hot around him, her breath harsh air against his moist neck and her nails digging into his back in a way that made him sigh. He couldn't remember why he'd taken so damn long to claim her already. She'd practically told him she'd been waiting for him to. And it certainly wasn't cool to keep a lady waiting.

"_Ngh!_" Maka grunted when he pulled out and thrust back into her. "S…Soul," she whispered and rocked against him, meeting his steadily fastening thrusts with equal vigor. Her head tossed back, a hand slapping against his chest with nails digging through skin as he pounded in and out of her. "Faster," she panted, "go faster!" She cried out when he did, swearing the boat rocked with each powerful slam of their hips against each others. "_Nnnhh, Soul!"_

"Maka," he grunted out, gripping a tense thigh and lifting it a little. "Move—yeah, like that, keep it up." She mewed in delight as he pounded into her at a different angle, short breaths hissing between his teeth with each thrust. Soon, their movements became more frantic, more erratic and hard and fast as they both began to read their end. Legs spread, both of Maka's hands gripped the edge of the gunwale, she came with a loud cry of his name and arch of her back. Soul managed a few more thrusts into her before he came with a moan, burying himself to the hilt inside of her.

"Oh…um…" Maka breathed, heavily. She looked up at him, catching her breath. He slumped forward on her and she wrapped an arm around his waist. "That was.."

"The highlight of our break?" He finished for her, just as wasted as she was.

"Yeah," Maka nodded weakly. Her cheek rested against his cheek and her eyes closed. "The highlight… of my break…" She looked up when his hand buried in her hair and pulled her back, kissing her with more affection than the lust-driven kisses they'd shared before. By now, Maka realized with surprise, the sun was a faint strip of pink and orange on the navy blue skyline. Where had the day gone? She wondered.

She could easily say, as Soul caressed her lips with his breath.

* * *

><p>She figured something would drop by to ruin her evening.<p>

Life was cruel like that.

"You get away from my baby girl, you sonofa—!"

"PAPA, STOP IT!" Maka shouted, pushing him away from Soul. "It's not Soul's fault! He didn't do anything!" Soul looked ready to tear his head off as well, fists clenched by his side. There was only so much verbal abuse one could take before they blew their lid and Soul was at his limit. After Maka had docked the boat again, the moon rising in its path to take the suns place, he had been struggling to put together his conflicted emotions about her when that man with the shaggy head of maroon gaped at them for a total of ten seconds.

Then Maka squeaked out, "_Papa…_" and it all made sense to him.

"Don't you try to defend him, Maka, I want to know what he was doing on my boat with you – _alone_ – and I want to know _now!"_ Spirit harshly demanded, setting stone-hard eyes at his daughter.

She flinched a bit but her reaction was fierce: "I was spending time with him because tomorrow is his last day here! He's my _friend_, papa, that's what you do with friends! It's no different than when Liz is with me—!"

"But Liz is a woman and not a – a _sex-hungry beast_ like him!" Spirit accused, pointing a finger at Soul.

"Like you should be talking, old man, I wasn't the one fucking college students earlier!" Soul sneered and Spirit's chest swelled with rage.

"The fuck you say to me—?"

"You deaf, too?"

"You little shit—!"

"Papa, stop it before _I tell mama where you've been all this time!"_ Maka roared, her chest heaving with the effort to contain her angry tears. Spirit stared at her, shocked, and set his jaw. Maka somehow wanted him to lie his way out of this; to make Soul's waspish come back less real. But Spirit only whispered her name apologetically, the fire in his eyes becoming a fearful and guilty glimmer. "He's my _friend_, Papa. I'm not like you. I don't go around sleeping with every single person I meet!" Maka spat. Spirit flinched, wounded. Maka dropped her watery eyes, regretting the words instantly. "Let's go, Soul…"

He silently took her hand and led her away from her father, both men sending each other acidic looks before the pair made it to the main boardwalk. Maka could still feel Spirit's sad gaze on her back as she walked with Soul.

"You alright?" Soul asked softly a few minutes later. Spirit had, as it seemed, wisely stayed behind by the boat. Soul hadn't meant much by his snarky statement at her father but he was surprised when it turned out to be true. Worse when the fact that his daughter, his own daughter, knew of his sleeping around and could hang it over his head. Soul knew her family was dysfunctional – she hadn't gone in-depth when they got into those conversations – but he didn't think it was this bad.

"Yeah," she sniffled, rubbing out an eye. The exhilarating high from their earlier activities had taken a nosedive when her father showed up. "I'm sorry about that. He doesn't usually go around stalking every guy I talk to…"

"Yeah, right, he just goes around kidnapping them and hiding them in a cellar," Soul morbidly sneered out and Maka smiled faintly. Prolonged silence followed and Soul thought about the words she'd spat back to her father. They made his gut knot up with anxious hope. "Hey, Maka?"

"Mm?"

"Back there, what you said to your dad…" Soul trailed off, struggling with the words. Maka looked up at him curiously. _Tomorrow is your last day_, a voice that sounded eerily like Kid nagged at him. What did he have to lose but _everything?_ He swallowed thickly. "About not sleeping with every guy you meet…"

Maka pinked instantly. "O-oh…that. Well, I don't. What we did on the boat, that was…different. It's because…"

"….you like me?" Soul finished for her, a little hopeful.

She turned to him, alarmed. "No! Well, yes! But…" She faltered, downcast. "But you're leaving tomorrow..."

Soul jammed his hands in the pockets of his shorts and heaved a sigh. That was the problem, he grimaced, he was going back to Colorado the next day and who knew when he'd visit this obscure little town that had only been made known because of the Spring Break extravaganza?

"I don't usually do what I did with you because of my papa's horrible habits," Maka continued, a plank in the boardwalk creaking with their combined weight. "But, considering you're leaving tomorrow and I may never see you again….I didn't mind sleeping with you. You might as well try to have the least amount of regrets possible, right?" Maka offered with a halfhearted smile.

Soul stopped walking, Maka following after a few more steps. _No regrets, huh?_ Soul thought to himself with a ghost of a smile. He might as well. If he was leaving tomorrow, then he'd leave with the least amount of regrets possible. They may have completely skipped over the dating phase and jumped right into the passionate part of the romance, but the least he could do was take her out on a _date_.

He held his hand out, grinning when Maka looked at it oddly.

"C'mon, let's go get something to eat. I'm starving."

Maka searched his eyes for a second and a small smile graced her face when she realized what he was trying to do.

She took his hand.

She didn't let go until they were seated at the local diner.

* * *

><p>"This <em>blows!<em>" Liz whined, spinning the chair she was sitting with her foot. She reclined back, glaring at the ceiling. "Why do they have to live so far away? Why couldn't they live like... next door to us or something so we could visit! We probably won't see them until, like, the _next_ Spring Break! If they even come _back!_ Ugh, this sucks!" She spazzed, slumping in Maka's chair moodily.

Maka sat cross-legged on her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest in comfort. She didn't like thinking about that goodbye only a few hours ago. When they'd loaded up everything they needed and stood at the front of the airport, Kid having swiftly managed all of the details about returning his fathers yacht to its proper place, the ache of knowing he would be leaving and they would have nothing with each other (because they both agreed long-distance relationships fell apart after a while) really sunk her into a melancholy not even Liz's airy conversation could fix.

Maka buried her nose in her pillow.

"So, were you and Soul, like…" Liz began, hesitantly. She hadn't noticed until today, when they stood before each other with regret in their eyes and embraced longer than was suitable for friends.

"We're friends," Maka muffled out.

"Don't give me that! I saw the way you two were looking at each other!"

"We're _friends,_" Maka repeated, sternly. She lowered her pillow to reveal gloomy, resigned, eyes. "That's what we decided yesterday…"

Liz brightened. "So you two _did _have something—aw, hell," Liz suddenly looked down, honestly feeling for her friend, who returned to burying her face in her pillow. "Did you really like him that much?"

"He was smart and sweet and a total ass but he always knew how to make me laugh," Maka groaned out, heaving a sigh. "He even let me hit him with my book when he was being a jerk."

Liz whistled. "That takes dedication."

Maka sent her a dry look.

Liz hastily amended, "I mean, not even Hiro could take your Maka Chops! He'd always bitch about it and then he'd bitch about you messing up his hair or something."

"Who cares about Hiro! He's not even half the man Soul is…" Maka scowled, remembering her ex-boyfriend only too well. He'd been one of the ones partying in the mass of Spring Breakers. They didn't hold much resentment towards each other and broke up on a good note, if possible, but Maka still remembered the dickhead moves he'd pull when they were together. His vanity and picking on her hairstyle being one of them.

Liz looked a little surprised at the declaration before a lopsided smile took its place. "Apparently, Kid goes to the same uni that Soul does," Liz conversationally began. "And they don't really _like_ that school…."

Maka looked up, raising a brow. "What's that supposed to mean, Liz?"

"It _means_," Liz sang, swiveling the chair until she faced Maka, "that we have a perfectly suitable university here that has _both_ their majors!" She grinned when realization dawned to Maka. Of course! Their university! How could she have forgotten? But she soured when another thought entered her mind:

"Soul and Kid aren't going to transfer here just because they don't happen to like their university, Liz. It has a lot of prestige – why would they leave it for ours?" Maka grumbled.

"Because ours is _obviously_ better and plus, they'll have us around!" Liz cheerfully said. "Why _wouldn't_ they come?"

Maka merely shook her head. It wasn't as easy as Liz made it sound, no matter how badly Maka wanted that to happen. Things simply didn't work that way. Their university wasn't currently enrolling as far as she knew and, if it was, they wouldn't be able to transfer until the next semester, which wasn't too far off now that she thought about it. But Maka forced those thoughts away. There was no use hoping for such a thing to happen, she'd never been much of a dreamer.

After another hour of conversation to get their minds off those two special boys, Liz wrapped up her tale and walked out with one last hug to Maka and a cheerful goodbye to her mother. At the sight of Kami's concerned eyes, Maka turned away and headed back up to her room. But being locked up with four walls surrounding you and seeming to cave in only made her antsy feeling worse, so she changed into some track pants and a gray shirt and made her way downstairs again.

"Where are you going, Maka?" Kami Albarn asked curiously. "Oh, you're not going on that boat again, are you?"

"I'll be back before sundown," Maka promised, already unhooking the keys from the key holder. "I just need a little air."

Kami sighed softly. "Oh, alright. Be careful. By the way, Maka, do you know where your father is? I haven't been able to reach him for an hour and he needs to send this package to Blair! I want it to arrive _before_ the wedding!"

_Oh, right! Blair's wedding, _Maka remembered, her spirits lifting at the thought. Blair had been a local girl who had, at first, taunted and picked on Maka before they steadily developed a friendship. It was a strange relationship they shared but it was one they both treasured. Kami had also liked Blair – at least, when her husband wasn't flirting with the curvy girl. "Are we still going? It's in two months, right?"

Kami nodded. "Yes, I've already reserved the plane tickets and everything! Isn't this exciting? I hear the man she's going to marry is quite the sensation over there!" Kami laughed heartily, picking up a few pans to begin cooking. "A famous musician, I believe."

"Really?" Maka awed. She hadn't really asked about Blair's fiancée when the girl called. She would have to call her later today and ask her about it. "Wow, I can't wait!"

"Now, go!" Kami shooed. "I'll leave your dinner on the stove, okay? Take your keys – I have work in two hours. I think I'll be pulling a late shift tonight, so don't wait up for me, sweetie."

Maka nodded, stuffing the keys into her pockets.

Another late night for her mother and father.

Both for different reasons.

Maka sighed at the thought of what fights will break out when Kami finally got some dirt on Spirit. She was close, of this she knew. She'd been rather mellow and indifferent with him lately. Maka can only imagine what she had planned for Spirit when he slipped up again…

* * *

><p>He slipped up two days before Blair's wedding.<p>

Maka sat on the plane beside her mother, her father nowhere to be found. She'd cancelled his ticket when she caught him in the throes of passion with another woman in his own office. Needless to say, after throwing the container of food at his face and running back to her car in tears, when Maka returned from her classes at university, Kami was a wreck and harshly told her they'd be going to Blair's wedding _alone_ and they would speak no more of this.

Kami could be especially nasty when needed.

Maka snuck a look at her mother. Her eyes were rimmed red and there was a resentful, hateful, mournful, and hurting glimmer to her tired light green eyes. Maka felt her fists clench. She'd promised herself she wouldn't interfere with her parents marital problems but damn her if she didn't want to pummel Spirit for making her hurt so badly. It was bad enough he had the audacity to apologize when he knew he'd do it again, but he had to go do it in his workplace when he knew full-well (or perhaps he'd forgotten, Maka bitterly thought, he was always forgetting important things) that Kami dropped by every few days to deliver him a sack of lunch so he didn't have to buy out.

Kami hid a sniffle behind a cough.

Maka sat back and controlled her rage.

They arrived promptly and without fault. It was silent the entire way, even when they arrived at the hotel Blair had been kind enough to reserve for them and entered the impressive suite Blair chose for them. It was a towering hotel, with gold-trimmed everything's and sleek opal white floors. The receptionist was friendly and the bell hoppers were equally receiving. It's no wonder Blair had named this her favorite hotel of all time – although Maka dreaded to think just how much it cost to reserve a night. Blair had always adored luxury.

"Maka, can you check if I packed my bracelets?"

"You did! I remember you put them in your make-up bag!" Maka called back, slipping on her two inch heeled pumps. She stood up, rotating her ankle a bit and scrutinizing the polished black shoes that would make her feet hurt for hours. At least they looked good on her, she observed, that was some consolation. She was done save for her hair, which she decided she'd let loose and style into curls that fell down her bare shoulders. The dress was black taffeta, a cocktail dress with a fitted bodice that ended a few inches above her knees. The taffeta was pleated in secure tucks, turning a classic little number into something much more saucy. "You look beautiful, Maka! You'll have the boys at your beck and call at the wedding!" Kami smiled, clasping on her bracelet.

"So will you, mama!" Maka beamed back.

"Oh, please." Kami batted off with a bashful smile. "I would look better if I lost some weight!"

"Don't say that, you're fine just the way you are! I bet you'll have the entire room looking at you when you walk in!" Maka praised, laughing when her mother shook her head at her teasing and resumed applying her lipstick. After some touch-ups and adding the final touches to their hair, both women left the comfortable suite in the hotel and hailed a taxi to take them to the wedding.

"Do you think we'd be able to see Blair before she walks the aisle? I want to have a few words with her," Kami stated and Maka saw her eyes grow hard and bitter again.

"I'm sure we can if we make it early enough," Maka checked her cellphone. "At this rate, there should be enough time…"

Kami nodded distantly.

The destination of Blair's wedding was equally expensive, equally luxurious and classy. Maka wondered, as she walked through an elaborately decorated archway that led to a wide range of perfectly trimmed grass and strong oak trees that flourished with bright green leaves, if Blair had chosen the location or the groom. A picturesque scenery, Maka mused as they headed over to the cathedral that stood tall and proud with its stone sentinels flanking its sides. The gothic architecture was immediately beloved by Maka. She could only imagine how breathtaking the interior would look like…

"Maka, go find us a seat, okay? I'll be right there with you!" Kami promised, hurrying off to find Blair while Maka stood uncertainly in a steadily filling cathedral. She wandered past some pews before deciding to sit near the front, toward the sides. As everyone set up and all of the guests filled into their own seats, Maka saw the groom come in from one of the side doors.

The sight nearly made her choke.

Silver blonde hair, tall and broad, fitted into a clearly tailored suit with a smile that could blind the unprepared. The only differences between this man and Soul was his facial structure, sharper than Soul's, and his eyes, which were more black than burgundy. But the resemblance was eerie and Maka felt an overwhelming amount of dread and excitement well in her gut at the significance. Soul had mentioned something about his brother being a musician although Maka couldn't have fathomed he'd be the same person her mother had told her was quite famous and had many Billboard hits.

Then she saw _him_ walking in seconds later after his brother.

Her eyes immediately locked on the handsome man who came to a stand beside the groom, yawning into his palm as if he'd been woken from a particularly satisfying nap. She stared; she couldn't help it, this was the most cleaned up she'd ever seen him. She'd only seen him in swim shorts and t-shirts the entire break. His suit was pinstriped and defined the lean contours of his body, with a bloody red shirt that brought out the crimson in his eyes. His hair was a tousled mess, as usual, and she _knew_ it was him simply by the slouch of his shoulders. She had been around him enough to recognize it. Polished black dress shoes, silver cufflinks, and his trademark lazy grin finished off his look.

Maka felt that ache between her thighs grow fiercer as her eyes trailed down his body, taking in every contour. She always thought he was handsome in his usual clothes but, seeing him like this, dressed in a tailored suit, she didn't think she'd be able to ever look at another man the same way. He was handsome in his day wear, he was a devil in a suit. He _ruined_ her for another man, she mourned quietly before going back to her staring.

Then he turned her way and his grin slid off his face.

Maka stared at him and he stared back, his jaw slacking. She wondered if he was just as shocked to find her here of all places. But their eyes never left each others – even when Wes, his brother and Blair's fiancée, snapped his fingers in front of his face and looked in her direction curiously. It was then that Maka flashed her eyes away and sunk deeper into her seat, hoping to dissolve into the waxed wood because there would be no focusing when she knew he was in the same room as her.

_Ironic_, Maka faintly thought, how just a few weeks ago they'd agreed to stay friends and now she happened to see him when he's at his most provocative.

Maka didn't think she'd last very long under the heat of his bedroom eyes.

Because that's what they were – smoldering, hot, predatory.

She wondered what Liz would say to this if she were with her right now.

"Maka, are you okay?" Kami asked, placing a hand on her daughters cheek. "You're red."

"I'm fine!" Maka gasped, shaking out of her touch. "I'm just, it's, um, it's a little hot in here!"

"Oh," Kami frowned. She personally thought it was rather drafty inside. "Well, if you want to go out for some fresh air you can. Just make sure you're back before the wedding starts."

"No, it's fine!" Maka hastily amended. "I'll just sit here. You're not going anywhere, right?"

Kami frowned at her daughters strange behavior but nodded. "Blair still needs to get ready, I'll talk to her later," she sighed and Maka's face regained its normal tone at her mothers melancholic frown. Maka quickly glanced back at Soul, finding him looking back at her as well, and sank back in her seat to await Blair's big entrance.

* * *

><p>He was, unfortunately, sitting a few seats behind her.<p>

Maka twisted her hands on her lap, only too aware of the pair of eyes that bore holes into the back of her head. It was worse when she had to stand up because she had to fix the tufts of her dress down her rear and she was so sure his eyes followed the movement faithfully every time she did. Here she thought he'd be sitting somewhere toward the front, with his _parents _or relatives or friends, but of course he'd sit towards the back with Black Star, who'd apparently been invited to the wedding. Likely to stave off boredom, Maka sighed softly to herself.

"She looks so beautiful," Kami whispered to her. Maka smiled softly at her mother. There was an admiration, as well as sadness, as she watched Blair hold Wes' hands in hers with adoring golden eyes. Maka wondered if her mother had looked like that when she got married and felt cold all of a sudden.

Did marriages all end like that? Were they all bound for failure? She got her answer when her eyes swiveled to the Evans family. Soul's mother clung onto his father's arm, a tissue over her mouth as she watched her dear son say his vows. No, Maka quietly thought, not all marriages were bound for failure. They had their ups and downs, but they had a chance just like anything else. She saw the head Evans pat his wife's shoulder softly and could just glimpse his smile from where she sat.

Some just had more luck than others.

The cathedral was suddenly plunged into applause and Maka withdrew from her thoughts to see Wes and Blair cut their kiss short and turn to face them. Blair was radiant, and Maka could see a joyous glow surround Wes despite his outward placid appearance. Funny how Blair married her total opposite, Maka thought with a laugh as the couple began to walk down the aisle, meeting congratulatory hand shakes and smiles with ease.

"Oh_, Maka!"_ Blair squealed, running to her the instant she spot her. It was a little difficult, Maka just noticing the appalling height of her heels, but once she reached her Maka embraced her tightly and felt tears spring to her eyes. "It's been so long, kitten, look at you!" Blair sniffled, shoving her back to drink in her appearance. "You look like you belong in an escort house!"

"_No, I don't!_" Maka gasped in horror. Beside Blair, Wes hid a laugh behind a cough.

"You grew up so much while I was away, Maka-nya!" Blair continued as if she didn't hear her. She turned to Wes, pointing at Maka. "This was the girl I was talking about, the one I hated at first because she was so cute and Blair couldn't be as cute as her!"

Maka 's shoulder slumped. "Blair, is that really why you pushed me into a bathroom stall?"

"_Maaaybe_," Blair giggled, much to her chagrin.

"She pushed you into a _bathroom stall?"_ Wes arched a brow at his new wife, who smiled cheekily.

"We didn't get along when we first met and when I was walked into the restroom, she bumped into me on purpose and I tripped into a stall. Nearly hit my chin on the toilet rim," Maka admitted, blushing a pretty pink that Blair called out with gushing affection. She squealed even more and hugged her tight, commenting on her beauty once more.

"Ooh, Maka, you have to meet Wes' little brother! He's so cute, too – Scythe boy! Scythe boy, come here! Where are you going? Come say hi to my little kitten!" Blair whined. Maka hid a snort of laughter behind a cough. Scythe boy? Now she wanted to hear the story behind _that _one!

"What'd'ya want, Blair?" Soul growled as he sauntered to them, slipping a hand inside the pocket of his trousers. Black Star hung behind, amusing himself by watching them.

"Maka! I'd like you to meet—!"

"Soul..." Maka nodded, dropping her eyes before she could make a fool out of herself by staring. Blair blinked, surprised. Wes narrowed his eyes a fraction at the unusual expression his brother wore – a mixture of longing and regret. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, much less when it was directed to a girl.

"Hey, Maka," Soul quietly greeted.

"You two have meet before?" Blair questioned.

"Spring Break," Soul filled in for her. Behind Soul, Black Star's eyes rounded with realization. "Her friend was going out with one of my friends."

"_Ooh, _spring break, huh…?" Blair trailed off. The sly glint in her eyes when she turned back to Maka told her she would be in for an interrogation when they had the chance. Maka sighed at the thought. She really didn't want Blair analyzing her odd relationship with this man. Maka knew they'd crossed that borderline a long time ago without anyone telling her. "Well, that saves the introductions, then! We can continue to the reception!" She clapped her hands and added, "Maka, where's your mama? I told her she can ride with me in the limo!"

Maka started, looking behind her. Kami was nowhere to be found. "I don't know. She was sitting right beside me…"

"I saw her go out. I think she took a call," Soul offered, helpfully.

Wes' eyes narrowed another fraction; his brother wasn't _known_ to be helpful. In fact, he was more likely to simply wander off mid-conversation. His contemplative expression did not go unnoticed by Blair. There was most definitely something he knew that she didn't and she wanted to know! After all, when scythe boy or her kitten were involved, the world could wait.

"Mouuu, go find her for me, Maka-nya! Then come to the front! But hurry! We're already behind schedule!" Blair cheerfully laughed and grabbed onto Soul's arm. Maka watched him growl curses at her as he tried to tug his arm out from between her generous bosom – the newly wed laughing something out while her husband shook his head and followed close behind her.

She caught Soul's worried look in her direction.

Maka smiled a little, knowing it probably looked sad, and continued to look for her mom. When she looked at Black Star, noticing he'd lingered behind, his lewd grin made her flush a terrible red and she hastened to find her mother; oblivious to the fact that she'd just answered all of Black Star's questions.

* * *

><p>"You <em>fucked<em> her!"

Soul twitched.

"You were fucking her that entire time! _Damn!_" Black Star stated loudly hours into the after-wedding party, after both had taken more than their fair share of the bottles of champagne that lined the many laid-out tables in pairs. Blair and Wes had departed for their honeymoon early on in the evening, leaving their guests to mingle and drink to their hearts content until midnight.

Soul sent him a scathing look. "Shut up!"

"You did. You totally _fucked_ her—!"

"Don't say it like that!" Soul snapped at Black Star. "It wasn't just for the lay, alright? I _actually_ like her."

Black Star started to laugh before he sobered up at the sight of his friends menacing glower. "Holy shit. Holy shit, you're serious, huh? With _her?_ I mean, she's okay and all, but she's a _total_ geek. Like, with the school girl uniform and pigtails and glasses and everything!" He gesticulated wildly. "She's a total bookworm! And you hate reading as much as I do!"

"Lucky I have a thing for bookworms," Soul remarked snidely.

"You do not! I would know if you did!"

"Well, I do _now_."

Black Star deflated, running a hand through his hair in conflict. It was true that Black Star usually hated Soul's girlfriends (mostly because they were needy, clingy, women who never ceased to grate on Black Star's superior nerves) but he didn't know how to feel about _this_ potential girlfriend. Maka Albarn was the type of girl who didn't strike him as needy – rather independent, actually – and, as a whole, a complete opposite to the girls Soul usually sought. She wasn't busty, voluptuous, or sexy: she was thin in the way a ballerina was, with a delicate bone structure accompanied with a high, tinkling, laugh. She looked younger than she was, her age reflected in the deep wisdom of her moss green eyes. Black Star also had the self-given right to judge her boring and, technically, plain just by these facts. But whatever Soul saw in her, whatever he _knew _about her, Black Star could only imagine was fantastic. Well, the sex must be anyway. That's the only way Black Star could understand his friends attraction towards Maka.

"So, you really like Maka, right?"

"Yeah."

"Like, girlfriend-like or just fuck-like—!"

"Black Star, _shut up_!" Soul growled. He slumped against the veranda, gazing up at the spotless sky with the usual uninterested expression. Black Star couldn't read him even if he tried, which often he did. Soul could be an enigma in and of itself when he wanted to be. "Maka… she's not like the other girls. For one, she doesn't give a crap if she insults me or not. She stands up to me," a faint smile clung to his lips. "And it also helps that she doesn't think I'm funny looking."

"You're not funny-looking, bro. _I'd_ totally fuck you," Black Star helpfully said, hiding a snicker behind his hand when Soul deadpanned a look at him. "I'd be, like, begging you to fuck me every ten minutes, man. Trust!"

Soul smacked his forehead in his palm, ignoring his friends hysterical laughter at the sheer thought. "….Thanks, Black Star," Soul dryly said.

"That's what bros are for," Black Star smirked tauntingly and happened to glance sidelong to the right. He did a double take when he did. "Hey, isn't that her over there?"

Soul suddenly stood straight, watching Maka come walking back alone down the paved way to the ballroom. He could faintly see her trembling, her teeth chattering, and he then realized just how cold it really was. She likely hadn't come with a jacket either.

"Hey, if I don't come back in an hour, you can leave if you want. You know where the hotel is and you've got a key," Soul instructed swiftly, already on his way out of the balcony.

"Whoa, wait, where you going?"

"Don't worry about it!" Soul grinned over his shoulder.

"You're just gonna' _leave_ me here!"

"Yeah!"

"Dick!" he shouted and scowled when Soul didn't even reply. Black Star figured he'd go after the bookworm. He scoffed and mumbled things about unruly disciples and school girls. Meanwhile, Soul searched the crowd of guests for a head of ash blond, frowning when he saw nothing but black and browns and bright yellow blondes. He circumvented the crowd, always sticking to the walls, until he finally caught a glimpse of that taffeta dress that looked ridiculously gorgeous on her.

There she was: standing beside her mother, rubbing her shoulders and standing so straight she would make his mother proud. He watched her, hoping she'd feel his stare, and his wish was granted when she looked up curiously and almost immediately caught his eye. He crooked a finger at her and she glanced at her mother, telling her something before making her way to him.

"What, two months and no hello?" Soul started as once she was in ear-shot.

"I didn't even know you were going to be here, Soul, don't be so dramatic," she rolled her eyes.

"I still don't hear a hello."

"Hi, Soul," she shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips despite herself. "Happy now?"

"A little," he shrugged and grinned around his glass of champagne. It was easy to fall back into their normal habits from hours spent on a boat afloat in open sea. He had no problem speaking with her like he thought he would. He liked this type of comfortable conversation that flowed between them like a steady stream in a forest. _She_ – everything about her – was comfortable; comfortable and taunting. It was a strange mixture but he hardly minded. It kept things interesting, he thought, it _will_ keep them interesting.

"I didn't think you'd know Blair," Soul spoke up, both leaning against the wall. Black Star, if he heeded his advice, was likely gone by now. He really had nothing else to do at a wedding, that he'd made obvious by his whining. Soul could only hope so. He didn't need the guy making a ruckus around the ballroom or, god forbid, outside of it.

"We didn't get along well in the beginning, but we managed to put our differences aside and became really close friends until she moved. I didn't know the guy she was seeing was your brother – she always made him out to be some kind of uptight business man, not a musician!" Maka answered sheepishly with a laugh.

"Yeah, that's my bro alright," Soul dryly said. "10 foot pole up his ass, can't take a joke."

Maka laughed outright, reddening when she caught him staring at her again. Did she laugh too loud again? She cussed herself out inwardly. She needed to keep it, for lack of better word, _cool! _She cleared her throat before she spoke: "I'm guessing you're going back home tomorrow?"

"You guessed wrong!" Soul smirked at her tilted head. "Since Wes and Blair are off god-knows-where for their honeymoon, I've got the hotel room to myself. They rescheduled the wedding at the last moment, _after_ we bought the plane tickets, so they couldn't refund them so I get to stay an extra day."

"Oh!" Maka perked up, excited. "Mama said we'll go back the day after tomorrow. I think she wants to do some shopping and sight-seeing before we do." She also wanted as much time away from her papa, Maka grimaced a little, her excitement quickly plummeting.

"So, what's up with the face?" Soul finally asked, not fooled when she looked at him in confusion. "You've had this weird look on your face since I saw you. What happened?" He took a swing of his drink, keen on every muddled emotion that crossed her eyes.

Maka sighed in resignation. "Mama caught my papa cheating."

His brows rose in surprise. "She didn't take it well? Or she didn't know all this time?"

"She knew, she just never caught him in the act so she couldn't do much. It was all smoke in the air until yesterday," Maka sighed softly. "She caught them _in his office_."

"Oh, shit," Soul cleared his throat. Jeez, what a horrible way to find out. "So, I'm guessing that's why she wants to stay?"

"Yep."

For a second, neither said anything. Soul glanced at her, the soft blush on her cheeks and the rather gloomy gaze towards the thinning throng of guests. He could do it now. He'd have a reason to. It wouldn't sound weird, not really. And, seriously, it was a hit or miss thing now.

He was hung up on her, bad.

He _had_ been for the past few weeks.

People had begun to notice, more specifically his brother and Kid. Black Star remained oblivious but what did that matter? That idiot was usually oblivious to his inner struggles, at least until tonight, when he discovered his none-too-subtle crush on the apparent geek. Not that it mattered. Black Star didn't need to coach him on this: he was more than old enough to take care of these affairs by himself. But he didn't think he'd be able to just leave things like this with her tonight. If his brother kept prodding at him earlier for why he seemed more bitter than usual, he'd be practically interrogating him when he saw him next time if Soul just left things undone like this with Maka.

Besides, what did he have to lose? Soul finished his drink and took a deep breath.

_Stay cool, stay calm, stay cool._

_Stay __cool__._

"Since you're gonna' stay here another day…you wanna' hang out?" He inwardly cringed. _You wanna' hang out? _He snarked to himself. _Is that the best you can do? Dammit, so __not__ cool! _But his heart was already beating to a drum line in his chest and his palms had begun to sweat. He hadn't felt this nervous around a girl since his first girlfriend and that novelty had _very_ quickly worn off. This thing he had with her hadn't, _wasn't_, losing its charm for some weird reason. Because he'd _already_ touched home base, now he was just revisiting the rest in a haphazard order. And he _still_ couldn't get it right, not when it came to her. It still felt like he'd just met her on whim, and they'd hit it off, and now he was struggling to get her digits.

How lame, how easily he was thrown out of his element when an uptight, stubborn, and geeky girl came his way.

She looked up and smiled beautifully, apparently oblivious to his inner war. There was a gentle sprinkle of red that hued her cheeks, her eyes chipped pieces of emerald that crinkled at the corners with her smile. She was actually endeared from that awful line. Soul nearly laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of their situation.

"Yeah. That sounds great, Soul!"

It took him a moment to recollect himself. But when he did, his own lopsided smile captivated her just as hers did to him. "Cool."


	3. Chapter 3

**Spring Break  
>by. <strong>_Poisoned Scarlett_

"I don't get it," Black Star bluntly stated as he watched Soul slip his jacket on. He had been trying, don't get him wrong, he really tried except he simply couldn't understand why Soul was being so mushy about this one girl. Black Star had never let the thought of staying with a single woman, in a committed relationship, cross his mind. He had never stopped to think about it, truth be told, not until now. "What's so special about her? What makes her so different than all the other ones?"

Soul scoffed but didn't explain. He'd tried already and had been met with the exact same blank stare he was receiving at the moment. Black Star didn't have a single affectionate bone in his body; he was all for the no-strings-attached relationships, the easy ins and outs of life, always being admired and looked up upon. He came from a privileged family and although he'd always been neck-to-neck with his father, he had still had it better than most. But he had never been attached to someone, he had never allowed himself to. He didn't know how to fight for something like this quite yet, how would he ever understand what Soul felt for this girl?

"Plane leaves at nine, don't be late," was all Soul said. "I'll meet you there."

Black Star grunted and rubbed the back of his neck. He grunted again and Soul could see he was starting to get frustrated with whatever he was thinking about. He only lasted a few more seconds before he growled out loud and snapped fiery green eyes up at him, a deep scowl marring his face.

"I don't get it but I think you're making a_ huge _mistake!" Black Star shouted at him accusingly. Soul ran fingers through his hair in exasperation. Kami and Maka would be waiting for him by a local landmark soon and he needed to leave now before he was late. But of course Black Star would find some way to ruin his mood by continuously bringing up the same topic. Soul heaved a sigh and turned to his friend again, sending him a look of bemusement.

"Can you just drop it?"

"Dude, you're _moving _like half-way across the US for a _chick!_ You're practically leaving all your friends for this one girl!" Black Star argued, urging him to see reason. "How is this _not_ a big deal?"

"Bullshit, you know I've been wanting to move for awhile now."

"Well, yeah... but I didn't think you were serious!" Black Star insisted. "I thought you were kidding!"

Soul rolled his eyes. "Too bad I'm not. Anyway, I'm out. I'll meet up with you here later, alright?"

"Soul, seriously, think about what you're doing! She's just some girl you met at spring break! For all you know, it won't even work out and then you'll be stuck over there forever!" he wailed, unable to comprehend how his disciple could be so, well, uncool. He was essentially leaving him, his best friend, for this chick! Black Star couldn't help but feel taken for granted. That was his bro, his _best friend since high school_, and to think he'd just _leave_ someone as mighty as him for someone as scrawny and insignificant as that Maka girl! "Do you see the problem here?"

"Thanks for having so much faith in me," Soul dryly said. "It doesn't matter anymore, the transfer request went through. I'm going."

Black Star backtracked, stunned. "What? So you're going? _Officially?_"

"Yes," Soul said, with a tone of finality. "I'm moving."

"_I'm_ not," Black Star told him coldly.

Soul stared and then sighed, perceptive enough to understand what was going on now. "Star, it's not like I'm never gonna' see you again because of this . Maka has another two years or so at that university and so do I. We'll be back in Shibusen before you know it."

Black Star didn't miss how he included her in the equation. "Then why go?" He demanded. "If you're just gonna' come back?"

Soul shrugged and shot him a wry grin. "Cuz I'm crazy?"

"Like a motherfucker," Black Star chuckled and Soul managed a smile, too. The tension lifted from between them and Black Star heaved a sigh but nodded approvingly at Soul.

"Good luck, man," Black Star grinned. He regained his cocky attitude and taunted him with: "But don't come cryin' to me when shit doesn't go the way you thought it would!"

"Just watch," Soul grinned back. "Later, Star."

"Lates."

And the door closed behind him.

* * *

><p>When he envisioned them going on an official date, he didn't envision her <em>mom<em> wedged between them taking pictures of everything. And when Soul said everything, he meant _everything_ as he dully snapped a picture of Kami and Maka standing behind some stupid clothing store. He would make a smart comment except, for once, he actually wanted to leave a good impression on her. The last thing he needed was Maka's mother hating him. Her father already hated him enough for them both.

Maka smiled apologetically in his direction, hurrying to her mother when she called her over to look at some sheets. Soul stood off to the side, hands in his pockets, watching both women with a halfhearted smile. It wasn't that hanging out with her mom wasn't cool, because it wasn't, all things considered, it was that today was their last day together and he'd really wanted it to be somewhat special. He didn't think he'd get another lucky chance to see her sometime in the near future, at least not until his transfer request went in, which it had, thankfully.

Ah, his transfer request.

That was why he wanted to get Maka alone today, so he could tell her and hopefully not ruin his chances at everything by taking thus huge leap. He'd been thinking about it for a while now and he'd browsed various universities in his spare time before he met Maka. Maka only made his transfer the more desired. But it would still be awkward if she was disappointed by it. After all, he'd now be going to her university. But if she wasn't, things would look up, Soul told himself. Hopefully she'd be happy about it.

"Soul! Hey, Soul, come here! Look!" Maka cheerfully called, waving him over.

"What?"

"Seashells! Do you think your brother will want one?"

"_Seashells?_" Soul wandered over to her, belatedly remembering the lie he told her earlier during their Spring Break to spend more time with her. Regardless, a grin broke on his face. "Probably. When will you give it to him, though? He told me he was going back to work after the honeymoon."

"He is?" Kami interjected, curiously. She stood beside him now, camera in hand. "I thought he was going take a week off."

"He was but he already used up all of his vacation days," Soul explained. "So they decided to use up these last few he has during the honeymoon."

"Oh. I see," Kami hummed. Something caught her eye in the distance and she gravitated towards it, camera at the ready.

Maka beamed at him. "You can give it to him later! I'll buy it right now!"

"Nah, don't do it. Seriously, he doesn't deserve it," Soul grinned when Maka cut him a look, punching his shoulder softly. He lowered his voice. "No, I'm serious, don't buy it for him."

"Why not?" Maka whispered, matching his volume.

Soul debated lying again before he admitted: "I lied that time. He doesn't really collect seashells. Actually, he hates them. He hates the ocean in general."

"You _lied?_"

"Shut up!"

"But, why?" Maka hissed, conscious that her mother snapped her head at them when she said that.

Soul leaned away from her, shrugging awkwardly. "I…needed a reason to go with you on the boat."

Maka parted her lips when she realized just what he meant but was unable to say anything for her mother once again stole her attention. But she did manage to whisper sternly, "we'll talk about this later!" before she hurried after her mother, casting Soul one last look as she did.

"…I'm _so_ not cool," Soul groaned pitifully at himself, hanging his head a little. "Why'd I have to _say_ that? Now she's gonna' think I'm some weirdo…" But he reluctantly followed both women, making sure to stay a few steps behind them as they window shopped and talked. He was not in the way but Soul couldn't help but feel as if he was just by the suspicious, sometimes troubled, looks Kami tosses at him when he was in sight.

He really hoped he hadn't gotten on her bad side already.

* * *

><p>He knew this was bound to happen. She had been looking for an excuse to talk to him for hours now, what better time than when her daughter wondered into an antique bookshop with the promise of being out soon? They both knew it would be awhile before Maka finally found her way back to the entrance and she'd have things to bring with her when she finally did, too. He would have followed Maka, however, into the depths of that hellhole had the mother of said girl not crooked a finger at him, her smile friendly but stern.<p>

He was internally shitting it.

He really couldn't screw up now.

"So, you're Soul!" Kami Albarn began when he shuffled over to her, her strained smile only making him believe he wouldn't be in good graces with either parent. He supposed it could always be worse: Maka could always hate him. Kami patted her hands of dust on her thighs, turning back to face the boy whom her daughter liked quite obviously. The boy who possibly liked her daughter _back_, given the amount of staring he did when he thought no one was looking. "That's a strange name for a boy."

"Oh, yeah, my grandma named me," Soul explained, rather embarrassed she called him out on his name of all things. At least she hadn't mentioned his appearance yet. "I hated my name when I was younger."

"Why? Did people teased you about it?" Kami asked with sympathy.

"Yeah, kind of," Soul grinned wryly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I got over it when I entered junior high. It just wasn't worth the effort. It's my name, I can't change it and even if I could, I wouldn't. I've come to terms with it."

"That's great, very good…" Kami trailed off for a moment. She gathered her wits and asked: "What are you studying, Soul? Maka tells me you're attending Shibusen University. That's quite a university. I attended, once."

"Really? That's pretty cool!" Soul smiled, shoulders relaxing the slightest bit. She wasn't being openly aggressive yet. Perhaps she was just measuring him up? He hopes he didn't fall below her standards for her daughter anytime soon. "I'm double-majoring: music with computer science. Maybe sometime later I'll get a minor in jazz studies. Not sure yet." _Probably not, _Soul thought dully. This cocky decision to double-major was already euthanizing him.

"Oh, _really?_" Kami's brows rose, quietly impressed. He didn't strike her as the type to apply himself to his studies. "Wow, you must like music a lot!" Kami suddenly laughed, remembering something. "Maka is _horrible_ with music. I remember once I paid for some cello lessons for her when she was younger…"

"How'd that go?" Soul smirked, already having an idea.

"Horrible!" Kami giggled, fondly. "She always complained it was too big for her, that it always fell when she tried to play. She actually let one fall and broke it..."

Soul chuckled.

"I enrolled her in ballet classes instead. She turned out to be very light on her feet. So I ended up enrolling her in self-defense classes, then karate and tai-kwon-do!" Kami continued very airily and Soul's smile grew. So that was where she got the abnormal strength, Soul thought while Kami continued to rant about all of those classes Maka took when she was younger and just how adept she was in the art of ass-kicking.

"Alright," Kami exhaled after she realized she was getting carried away, stealing Soul's attention once more. "Enough with the small talk, let's get to the real reason I brought you over here before Maka comes back."

Soul swallowed.

"I take it you _like_ my daughter in a manner that is less than platonic," Kami paused to gauge his reaction. But he nodded, sincere. "And she likes you." He nodded again. "Now, Soul. You're not a bad guy, I can see that. Sure, I thought you were a delinquent with the…white hair and the _teeth_."

"They're natural," Soul muttered, flatly.

"She told me that," Kami told him quickly, not meaning to offend. "I didn't believe it at first until I saw your brother. But… you live far away – much farther than a town over. It takes approximately 3 hours by plane to arrive to our small town, days by car."

He knew where she was going with this and he was happy to say he already had a solution for it!

"I'm not a real believer in long-distance relationships and I _really_ don't want Maka to be holding onto someone who she'll only be able to see once or twice every year—!"

"Pardon me, Kami," Soul interrupted before she could go off on a tangent. He remembered his manners at the last second; his brother would have literally shed tears of joy if he had been there for that epic moment. "But I have a solution for that. I wasn't planning on telling her until it actually happened but I got my confirmation email this morning, so I might as well. Shibusen agreed to allow me to transfer to Maka's university for the fall semester."

Kami's eyes bulged. "_What?_ You're transferring? But, _why?_ Shibusen is a top-notch university! If Maka and I had the wherewithal to enroll her there, she would be on the first plane ride there!"

"Look, I know you went there once but, honestly, Shibusen isn't my kind of school," Soul admitted. "It's way too big. Hell, each of my classes has at least three hundred students. The professors don't know my name, they only know me as the 'genetic wonder' because of my teeth and hair," he muttered, bitterly. "I checked out Maka's university before I left because I had been planning on transferring, anyway. It's small, has all my majors, there's a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. It's got a good reputation, and it's _way_ cheaper than Shibusen."

Kami gave him a measured look. "Maka will be attending Shibusen for her graduate studies."

Soul lazily smiled. "I'll be sure to give her a tour of the place when she transfers. It's _huge_."

After a second, Kami smiled warmly. She looked back to Maka, who was now stumbling out of the bookstore with a bag full of books in her arm. She was counting her change with some difficulty, stuffing the bills in her pocket when she was done. She was sufficiently distracted, for now at least.

"Alright, alright," Kami chuckled, smiling kindly at Soul. "You better not be lying to me about this transfer business. I don't want Maka to be dating a chronic _liar_." She warned, giving him a look that belied the consequences if she discovered such traits in him. She must have heard when he confessed to Maka that he lied in order to hop aboard with her on the boat. At least she hadn't jumped to conclusions, Soul thought with relief. That automatically made her cooler than Maka's dad.

Soul grinned toothily, giving Kami a gander at some of his 'genetic mishaps'. Handsome the boy may be but Kami would never understand how her daughter could _not_ be frightened of those teeth. "Yes, ma'am!"

"Soul! Come help me with this!" Maka called, dragging out another bag of books from the store. "Help me carry them to the hotel so I could pack them into my luggage!"

"She's your responsibility now," Kami innocently sang, holding her hands up with a look of smugness. She turned on her foot, cheerfully shouting over her shoulder: "Don't take too long now, Soul, I want you both to come with me to dine at this restaurant I've been reading _all_ about in the newspaper! It's Moroccan food, I hope you don't mind!"

Soul sighed. At least Kami had given him her blessing, it was best not to push it. "It's cool, Mrs. A."

"Good! And, for heavens sake, call me Kami! I'll at that store over there!" The blonde-haired woman waved, disappearing through a gaggle of women up the sidewalk.

"_SOUL!" _Maka snapped, watching her mother go. "Any day now!"

"Coming!" Soul sighed wearily, smiling lopsidedly as he went to help Maka with one of her piles of new books. "Why you gotta' be such a nerd?" He demanded with mock-seriousness, picking up a stack. "Crap, this is heavy."

"Suck it up," Maka told him and picked up her stack. "These are really good books and I need some for my Humanities class, anyway! They'll help me! I have a low A in that class..."

"Always thinking about school," Soul sighed. "Don't you think about other stuff?"

Maka smiled mischievously as he scowled down at the books in his arms. "Sometimes."

"Wow, no way!" Soul sarcastically mumbled.

"Mhm," Maka hummed back. She bumped her hip against his and whispered, with a devious curl of her lip: "Like how nice your mouth would look between my thighs."

"Really - _really?_" He suddenly asked, wide-eyed. He nearly dropped the stack of books with how fast he turned to her, all his attention reserved for her.

"_No_, because all I think about is school!" Maka scathingly shot back and smiled to herself when he groaned mournfully. She followed in the same direction of her mother, ignoring his grumbling at her awful ways the entire way.

* * *

><p>Kami looked between the two as she ate, nodding at Soul when he gave her a meaningful look. Maka didn't catch the silent message, too busy trying to finish her meal as her mother and of course Soul had already finished with their own meals. Maka had always been a slow eater; she was slower than usual because Soul kept poking and distracting her the entire time.<p>

"Are you almost done?" Soul asked, bored.

"No!" Maka growled.

"Honey," Kami spoke up, deciding now to be a good time to give them some alone time. She smiled reassuringly at Soul, who'd sat up straight when he heard her speak. The time to tell Maka of his new-found plans was slowly nearing. She reached into her purse and took out the right amount of money, laying it down on the table for them.

"I can pay for myself," Soul mumbled but Kami waved him off.

"It's fine, honey, I'll pay. I invited you to come along, it's my treat. Maka, I have to go pick up some things before we leave later tonight, are you going to take those books back to the hotel to pack yourself or do you want me to take some for you?"

"I'll just take them back myself, mama! Soul can help me!" Maka assured.

"I never said - !"

Maka gave him a frigid look and he sulked, deciding arguing about it would get him nowhere.

"Alright, I'll meet you at the hotel room in _one hour_, do you hear me? Or else we won't catch our flight. Just in case I don't see you, bye Soul. It was a pleasure meeting you." Kami gave Soul a look he nodded reluctantly to, saying his goodbye as well, before she left. Maka looked curiously at Soul but went back to eat when she found him looking somewhere else in apparent disinterest. In reality, he was taking deep breaths because it was a big to tell a girl he'd meet over Spring Break that he had transferred into her university because basically, yeah, it all boiled down to the fact that he liked her a lot.

"Hey, Maka..."

"Hm?" She looked up and the weighty words never made it past his throat.

"You got a little something here," he pointed at his chin and grinned when she flushed and grabbed her napkin to wipe herself off. "Relax, you got an hour. You don't wanna' get yourself sick or something. That's not cool."

"I'm almost done," Maka mumbled. She poked at her rice with her fork and looked at him, unable to help thinking that he looked like he wanted to say something. When she cocked her head at him, encouraging, he took a breath but only quirked a quick half-smile at her before tapping his fingers on the table and looking away.

"Do you know where Blair went for her honeymoon?" Maka asked, so the silence wouldn't seem too awkward.

"Cancun."

"Oh, really?" Maka smiled. Blair had always liked beaches, that was why she liked their town, which was conveniently located nearby a good-sized and healthy beach. She bet it was nothing compared to the beautiful beaches of Cancun and Maka found herself thinking it would be nice if she was taken to some place like Cancun. An exotic place, a place worth touring. She was lost in these dreamy thoughts while Soul thought up a way to tell her. He didn't want to mess this up, it needed to be executed correctly in order for it work.

"I'm done!"

Soul tensed but nodded, standing up and watching her wave the waiter over to pay. He picked up a pile of her books as the transaction was made and Maka received the change.

"Do you want help with that?" Maka asked, as Soul had taken her pile as well.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to break my back."

"Very funny," Maka rolled her eyes and slipped some books off the pile in his arms. "Let's go drop these off in the room, then we can go somewhere. Is that fine?" Maka asked him, smiling wanly when he nodded and they both made their way to the hotel. The hotel was close to the restaurant that they needn't take a taxi. But the walk was silent, both stewing with thoughts of the other leaving in only an hours time. Maka nearly regretted stepping foot into the room and packing her books into her luggage, if only because with each book packed it made the situation more real.

Soul was having similar thoughts.

"Done!" Maka announced, blowing out a breath.

"Where do you wanna' go?" Soul asked, demurely.

Maka looked at the clock and felt her heart clench. She only had around half an hour before she was due back in the suite. Maka would bet that her mama was already done with whatever she needed to do and on her way to the suite. It would be no use trying to go anywhere by now, they wouldn't be able to enjoy anything. Maka decided, as she looked at Soul, it would be better to just spend these last precious moments with Soul in the room. She extended her hand to him and Soul took it, allowing himself to be pulled on the bed.

Maka laid on her side, holding his hand between them.

"You just wanna' lay here? I have no problem with this," he grinned and she giggled.

"We wouldn't be able to do anything if we left right now," the light in her eyes dulled and his grin faltered. "Mama would be mad if we're late...when does your flight leave?"

"About two hours after yours," Soul answered.

Maka dropped her eyes back down to their twined hands. She didn't think she'd him again, here she was doing rather well without him. But then he had to drop back into her life and make her realize she would've been lying to herself if she said she was fine. Liz would never believe what happened when she went back home, and she'd probably curse Soul because her mood would be in the dumps for awhile. Liz did curse Soul at one point because Maka hadn't been as cheery as usual until much later...

"What's with that face?"

Maka buried it a little more into the sheets.

"It's not cute."

"Shut up."

Soul grinned. "Uncute."

"Shut up!" Maka growled, kicking him.

"That was even more uncute, and uncool!" He added when she kicked him again, harder this time.

"Shut up!" Maka sighed, not as fierce as before. She flipped on her back, pulling his hand until it rested on her stomach. "I'm just thinking that in an hour I have to leave."

Soul heaved a sigh. "Yeah, but..." He hesitated when Maka turned to look at him with those big green eyes of hers. He flipped on his back as well. "It's not all that bad."

"How?"

"Well," he shrugged. Here went nothing. "It'd only be for a little while."

Maka furrowed a brow. "No, it wouldn't. We'll be in school, it'd be until next year. The next spring break unless you decide to go elsewhere for that."

"Nah, only until fall."

"Fall -?" She sucked in a breath and Soul idly thought that this was it; this was when he finally told her and hoped for the best. "What do you mean...until fall?" She waited with baited breath as Soul said:

"That's when I start the fall term in Westerfeld University."

Maka's mouth fell open and she looked at him in shock. "You...you're transferring to _my_ university?"

"Yeah, got my confirmation email this morning," Soul informed and laughed when she squealed and practically jumped on him in excitement. He was suddenly glad they were on a bed, as Maka squeezed the life out of him. He definitely believed she took all those defense classes in her youth: by the time she let him go, he was sure he'd have bruises within the hour. But for once he wasn't complaining about the marks left on his body from her abuse.

"But why would you transfer? Shibusen is such a good school!" Maka frowned. She hesitated and said, quietly, "If it's because of me..."

"No! Not really. It's way too big," Soul explained, hastily when she narrowed her eyes. "And the professors are pains, like this one called Stein. He's psychotic, I hate his class. I've always wanted to go to a small university, too, but my parents didn't like the idea. They said I had to at least give Shibusen a shot first. So I did and I still don't like it. So they let me transfer over here," Soul smirked at her bright eyes. "So you'll see me again in the fall for a while. I'm moving over there. I'll probably rent an apartment like I did when I went to Shibusen."

"I can't believe it! You're going to stay!" Maka squealed, hugging him again excitedly. "You'll love my university! The professors there are really nice and we have a lot of outdoor activities!" As she rambled the details of what he was getting himself into, Soul's thoughts wondered back to what this meant for them both. He wasn't leaving, there really was no reason to keep this shaky friendship with her. They could both take it to another level, finally. He tightened his arms around her and she slowed until she quieted, as if she now realized what this meant.

"You're moving," Maka restated.

Soul nodded.

"I...is Kidd coming with you, too?"

"Not sure," Soul replied. "He said he'd think about it."

Maka nodded, saving this piece of information for later. She shifted until she was looking at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds, practically having an entire conversation, before they came to a mutual agreement and their mouths met to seal it. The heavy luggage that sat on the bed nearly fell over the edge when Soul pushed it out of the way, crawling on top of her as their mouths moved together fiercely. Her hands reached up so her fingers could tangle in his hair and Soul finally got to touch her hips, her strong thighs. They'd been taunting him for this entire trip; no one could understand just how relieved Soul was that he would be able to call this girl - all of this girl - _his._

_"Mmph, _Soul, my mom!" Maka muffled out but he covered her mouth with his again and massaged her breast with his hand to take her mind off it. It worked for a few minutes but not long enough for him to convince her. "Soul! Mama's going to be here soon!"

"She's not here right now, is she? We've got a couple minutes.." He mumbled, slipping his hand down her panty line.

She squealed and squirmed, inhaling sharply when his fingers slipped between her slick folds. He chuckled. "Soul, if mama walks in on us..." Maka whispered warningly but groaned when he managed to slip two fingers inside of her. Her back arched and she moaned, starting to pant as his teeth bit into her neck. She let him push one of her legs out, allowing his fingers to do their thing while he laid open-mouthed kisses on her neck. She tensed when he pulled her panties down to her knees and he shifted until he was straddling her.

"I'm completely down for a quicker right now," Soul looked at her with some hope but she only shook her head, shutting her eyes to avoid looking into his. She couldn't cave for this one; she simply couldn't risk it. But he made it hard. His methods for convincing her...were rather convincing, as his tongue parted her lips and he kissed her deeply. She hadn't even known he was fitted snugly between her thighs until she felt the evidence of his arousal press against her slick entrance. She gripped his shoulders, massaging her thumbs into his bone while her self-restraint quickly chipped away. He'd been pulling his zipper down when the front door creaked open.

Maka shot up so fast her forehead hit Soul's.

"_Sonofa - !_"

"Get off me, you idiot!" Maka hissed, shoving him off her. She winced when he nearly fell off the bed and she clamped her thighs together, an uncomfortable slipperiness between them. She hastily reached down to pull them back up, rather embarrassed she'd nearly let Soul have his way with her. But there was no time to excuse herself to the bathroom for her mother walked into the bedroom and expressed a blink of surprise at the sight of them. Her eyes went from Maka, who smiled anxiously from the edge of the bed, to Soul, who glared at Maka, rubbing his forehead while he was at it. He quickly closed his legs so she did not see anything she didn't need to ever see in her life.

"You're back early," Kami commented, breaking the awkward silence.

"We spent a lot of time packing!" Maka explained hastily, gesturing to the luggage that finally fell over the edge of the bed. Maka twitched and Soul snorted, sure that her mother wasn't buying anything. She was already giving him a displeased look. "So we decided to stay since we wouldn't be able to go anywhere! Oh and guess what mama?" Maka added, brightening up instantly. Kami smiled warmly as her daughter excitedly told her that Soul would be moving into their town and attending her university. Kami stole a glance at Soul, who smiled crookedly at Maka's excitement, before an idea hit her.

"Soul," Kami called, frowning. "Are you going to dorm in the university or will you be getting your own apartment?"

"I was thinking about getting an apartment. That's how I did it when I was at Shibusen," Soul told her.

Maka cringed and Kami followed soon after.

"...What?"

"The apartments by the university are really badly taken care of," Maka told him.

"And they're more expensive than they're worth, around six hundred a month and sometimes they don't even have running water..." Kami muttered, moodily. "Do you have a car or something? The better apartments are further away but they're worth every penny!"

"I've got a motorcycle," Soul offered.

"A motorcycle?" Kami stared at him, expressionlessly. She looked at Maka, who looked at Soul with wide emerald eyes. "You better not be thinking about taking _my _daughter somewhere with it."

Soul lied: "Of course not. Walking is, uh, healthy?"

"I've never been on a motorcycle before..." Maka wondered.

"And you're not getting on one, either!" Kami decided firmly. Soul inwardly snorted as the overprotective mother briskly explained the risks of owning one and Maka looked at Soul with that same curiosity. He grinned suggestively at her and the silent decision that he would take her somewhere on it one day passed between them before Kami ordered them off the bed and into the living room because she needed to pack, too.

"She's all talk, she won't do anything to you," Soul whispered convincingly as they walked out of the bedroom.

"I wouldn't underestimate my mama!" Maka warned. "She keeps her promises."

"I won't let you die!" Soul scoffed. "I've been riding since I was sixteen. You'll be fine."

"Accidents happen," Maka hummed.

"Quit being so depressing, it's uncool," Soul scolded and smiled when she flicked his arm but let it wrap around her shoulders as they both sat back on the couch and waited for Kami to finish up. It would be fine, Maka told herself, she wasn't one to give up on what she started and Soul could be as stubborn as she could if he wanted. He would be moving to her town, they had more than enough time to really get to know each other. Her mother even approved of him to some extent, Maka smiled to herself, that was a good start.

Beside her, Soul was having similar thoughts.

Black Star didn't know what he was talking about.

"Do you think Kidd will transfer, too?"

"Nah, he'll probably stay at Shibusen."

"Liz is going to be so depressed about that, she really liked him..."

"Liz? You mean the short blonde one?"

"No, the tall one with the long hair!"

"...Then who's the short blonde one?"

"Her sister!"

"Oh, shit."

"What...oh my god..." Maka stared at him and he stared back but she'd already seen his surprise. "He _didn't!_ He isn't like that! Is he?" Maka gasped when Soul grinned, shrugging and not about to go leaking confidential information about his friend. "That bastard! I can't believe it! Liz is going to be so mad when she finds out!"

"I think she already knows."

"But he cheat...oh. _Oh._"

"Yeah," Soul let that sink in, patting her arm when she squealed in horror and buried her face in his chest. "He's got it made."

They would be just fine.


End file.
